Business
Shippers Association ’ll Divert Cargoes To Ghana
The Lagos State Shippers
Association, has said it would direct its members to divert their cargoes to Ghana as the cargo sheds at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, had remained shut.
The association’s President, Mr Jonathan Nicol, who made the assertion in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, said the sheds had been shut for nine days.
He said: “We (shippers) are moving some of our cargo to Accra, Ghana, as the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) and Skyway Aviation Handling company Ltd. (SAHCOL) sheds remained shut’’.
Nicol said the shippers (importers and exporters) were taking this stand because goods stocked in the sheds were attracting huge demurrage and they (shippers) could not quantify how much loss they had been incurring.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) had on Monday said the cargo sheds of the airport should remain shut until terminal operators complied with new operational procedures that would not threaten national security and revenue.
The closure of the sheds was based on the confrontation between the customs and the licensed agents.
The Customs Area Comptroller of the Airport Command, Mr Tajudeen Olanrewaju, said government had directed officials to identify and allow passage of perishable, medical and diplomatic goods, which had remained trapped due to the crisis.
He said the NCS had the power to deal with any violator or saboteur who threatened national security and collection of revenues for government.
Olarenwaju said that government would continue to keep the cargo warehouse closed because the clearing agents had demonstrated that they were not ready to comply with regulations.
The comptroller said that agreements signed with the agents in the past had failed as they had consistently violated the rules that restricted their access to some parts of the cargo terminal.
“It has become increasingly insecure to carry out businesses at the cargo section of the airport because the agents have through their collective action continued to threaten national security.
“The agents have displayed lack of capacity to enforce the new regulations in sensitive areas where cargoes are kept at the airport.
“The warehouse remains shut until the agents and terminal managers show capacity to operate without threat to security,’’ he said.
Nicol added: “The shippers are losing so much, especially at this time that we have supply contracts to our various clients.
“We appeal to the Nigeria Customs Service and the freight forwarders to resolve the issues at stake.
“The cargo in the sheds do not belong to the freight forwarders, they belong to the shippers.
“The shippers have no quarrel with customs. Shippers are not finding it easy with our cargo caged in the sheds for no fault of ours,’’ the shipper told newsmen.
“Whatever has happened between customs and the freight forwarders is part of human error; so it can be resolved.
“Whatever is the problem between the freight forwarders and the customs should not affect the nation’s economy.’’
Nicol recalled that few days ago, they got out of the nine-day strike at the Apapa port and now going through another strike at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
He said that as the shippers were trying to get out of the problems of the Apapa strike, they were still paying demurrages.
“We cannot afford to continue to do business in a volatile atmosphere that cannot be determined.
“So, we are moving some of our cargo to Accra,’’ Nicol said.
In a concerted effort to tackle racketeering and reduce inflated transportation costs in the Nigeria’s seaports, Trucks Transit Parks Ltd. (TTP) has trained Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders on the use of its Ètò electronic call-up system.
The training was held recently at Customs Processing Centre (CPC) Auditorium, Apapa, Lagos, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and supported by the leadership of the Joint Association of Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders (JALCAFF), Apapa Command.
Speaking at the event, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu expressed appreciation to TTP for facilitating the training and emphasized the need for customs agents to take personal ownership of the Ètò booking process.
“I want to thank TTP for this impactful training. I encourage all customs agents to begin doing their own bookings directly. By doing so, they can take back power from the unscrupulous elements exploiting their lack of knowledge, selling tickets at highly inflated prices,” Olomu declared.
He noted that empowering agents with hands-on training was key to dismantling racketeering networks that have plagued access to the ports and frustrated efficient logistics processes.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Apapa Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Chief Emeka Chukwumalu, said the engagement was critical to the ongoing push to reduce cargo transportation costs and ease business operations at the Apapa Port.
According to a freight forwarder, “The training is basically for us to have awareness of the operations of the Ètò call-up system through TTP. We also want to brainstorm on ways to reduce the high cost of cargo transportation in Apapa Port.
“This training opened our eyes to how simple it is to book tickets ourselves. We now know the right steps to follow and how to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.”
Earlier, Head of Operations at TTP, Mr. Irabor Akonoman, talked on common misconceptions about ticket pricing, reaffirming that the cost of Ètò bookings had remained consistent since its inception.
“The official price remains the same since inception. What people are paying higher amounts for is the manipulation by racketeers”.
Towards strengthening small businesses and promoting a more supportive regulatory environment, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) says it will hold the 2025 edition of its flagship MSMEs Fair on Tuesday (May 6, 2025).
The event, themed, “Galvanising MSMEs for Economic Growth and Stability”, will take place at NECA House in Lagos.
According to NECA’s Director-General, Mr Adewale Smatt Oyerinde, the fair seeks to provide micro, small, and medium enterprises with essential tools, resources, and strategic networks to thrive in Nigeria’s challenging business climate.
He emphasised the vital role MSMEs play in national development, describing them as the “lifeblood of Nigeria’s economy.”
Oyerinde noted that the fair is designed to offer entrepreneurs practical solutions to navigate economic uncertainties, regulatory hurdles, and business scalability issues.
A major attraction of this year’s event is the keynote address by the CEO of FATE Foundation, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, a prominent advocate for MSME development.
She is expected to share transformative insights on innovative strategies for sustaining and growing small businesses in Nigeria.
A unique feature of the fair will be interactive sessions with key regulatory bodies. Entrepreneurs will engage directly with agencies responsible for licensing, compliance, taxation, and business registration.
NECA said these sessions aim to demystify bureaucratic processes and foster a more enabling business environment.
It also said the fair will provide a platform for entrepreneurs to exhibit their products and services, connect with potential investors, and explore new markets.
It added that participants would gain critical knowledge on digital transformation, access to finance, and strategies for sustainable business growth.
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· NECA stressed that the fair aligns with its broader mission of promoting enterprise development and economic resilience.
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· “By empowering MSMEs with the right support and information, the organisation aims to stimulate job creation, innovation, and long-term economic stability”, NECA said.
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· The 2025 MSMEs Fair is expected to attract a wide range of stakeholders, including financiers, tech experts, regulators, and industry leaders, all united in advancing the growth of Nigeria’s MSME sector.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, says over two million passengers have been transported on the Blue Line Rail since its launch, while state-run buses move an average of 42,000 commuters daily.
Osiyemi, who disclosed this during the Year 2025 Ministerial press briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, on Tuesday, noted that the Lagos State Transport Policy, launched in May 2024, was now in its implementation phase, focusing on inclusivity, safety, affordability, and sustainability.
“On rail development, Phase One of the Blue Line (Marina to Mile 2) has served over two million passengers, with Phase Two (Mile 2 to Okokomaiko) in progress.
“Phase One of the Red Line (Agbado to Oyingbo) is now operational with eight stations and additional rolling stocks procured, while Phase two (Oyingbo to link Blue Line at National Theatre) is underway”, he said.
The Commissioner said in the state-owned bus operations, over 60 million commuters have been served since 2019, with daily ridership exceeding 40,000.
He also said plans were on to deploy new buses with Quality Bus Corridors under construction, adding that the Abule=Egba Bus Terminal had also been commissioned.
“For water transport, 15 locally-built Omibus Ferries have been launched and are in operation, with the Ijegun Egba Terminal now open.
“The OMI EKO project, in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), will deliver 25 terminals and 78 electric ferries.
“Over 280,000 passengers have used ferry services in the past year, and 12 boats have been upgraded to meet safety standards”, he said.
On road infrastructure and traffic management, the Commissioner said 49 junction improvement projects had been completed, including ongoing ones at Ikorodu, Iju, as well as Allen-Opebi-Toyin axis.
He added that solar-powered Traffic Signal Lights, road markings covering 67.9km, new medians, laybys, and 3,941 parking lots had also been provided.
Additionally, Osiyemi announced that the deployed Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras had detected over 470,000 traffic violations and that the Vehicle Inspection Service issued over one million roadworthiness certificates.
He also said that the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute trained more than 32,000 drivers in the past 13 months.
The event marked the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term, showcasing major strides in the transport sector under the THEMES+ agenda.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos