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ANLCA, Shippers Reject Waiver On Trapped Cargoes

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14 years ago

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The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and shippers have rejected the 40 per cent demurrage waiver, which shipping companies offered them for their cargoes caught in the just-suspended nationwide strike.

The shippers (importers) and ANLCA members told newsmen on Wednesday, in Lagos, that they would not accept any compensation short of 100 per cent.

Chairman, Apapa Area I chapter of ANLCA, John Ofobike, explained that they were picketing the offices of the shipping firms to register their displeasure.

Ofobike wondered why shippers and customs agents should be punished over the strike called by organised labour to press the Federal Government to revert the pump price of petrol from N141 to N65.

“We cannot accept that. We are insisting on 100 per cent waiver of the demurrage for all the days the strike lasted. “If not, we will continue to picket the shipping companies,” he said.

Chairman, Tin-Can Island chapter of ANLCA, Kayode Farinto, affirmed that all the chapter chairmen had resolved that the shipping companies must completely waive the demurrage.

“I see no reason why they should charge Nigerians demurrage for the period of the strike,” he said. General Secretary, Shippers’ Association of Lagos State, Jonathan Nicol, said that all port operators might go on strike if the shipping firms refused to budge.

Nicol said that importers were surprised that the shipping companies charged demurrage for the strike period.

“They (shipping companies) want to start another trouble in the maritime industry. It is going to be big because all maritime practitioners will be involved. “The Federal Ministry of Transport should call the shipping companies to order because normally during strike or public holidays, importers do not pay demurrage,” Nicol said.

According to him, why must an importer pay for a national event such as the strike or a public holiday?

The shipping companies insisted on charging demurrage because they would also pay demurrage to vessel owners.

A cargo is free of charges during the first three days after it is discharged.

Thereafter, it attracts a demurrage of N750 per day for a 20-foot container and N1,500 for a 40-foot container.

After six days of arrival of a cargo, the demurrage is N4,000 per day for a 20-foot container and N8,000 for a  40-foot container.

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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3 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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3 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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3 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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