Maritime Agencies
NAGAFF Boss, Chief Afam Chukwuma, Hails B’Odogwu, Insists that 24-hour Cargo Clearance is Achievable .
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
Notable freight forwarder, Chief Afam Chukwuma has said that 24 hours cargo clearance can be achieved in Nigerian ports.
”We need to reduce body contacts by going full automation. Achieving 24hours cargo clearance is not a rocket science. We need to make it work no matter what it takes”.
Chief Chukwuma, the Deputy National Chairman (Seaports) of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) stated this in Lagos,Thursday, when he featured as a special guest at a monthly Roundtable of the Congress of Nigerian Maritime Media Practitioners- CONMMEP .
CONMMEP Monthly Roundtable affords key maritime stakeholders opportunity to engage with maritime press to examine and analyze issues of relevance and come up with actionable measures government could consider as she strives to improve and make the system better for the good of all.
Chief Chukwuma, Chairman , ISCS Group and Managing Director/ CEO of International Supply Chain Systems Limited, a foremost International Trade Logistics and Freight Forwarding Company, called on freight forwarders to upgrade themselves via training and retraining, encouraging a 100% automated clearing system.
He said that full automation would make the system easier and more efficient against operational challenges and bottlenecks that add financial burdens on importers and their agents.
Analysing the challenges associated with B’Odogwu, the trade facilitation tool recently introduced by the Nigeria Customs Service, Chief Afam Chukwuma was optimistic that despite obvious hitches, it will work to the satisfaction of all.
He announced that in several fora, he had argued that the Nigeria Customs Service is the best government agency when it comes to electronics and digitalized processes which B’Odogwu incorporates.
”I say this because l interact with the Police; l also interact with the military. None of them has a seamless electronic process like Customs.”
“For instance, in Customs today, if anything is happening in any Command, the integration of its system is very effective that even the CGC can view what is happening in a terminal in Enugu without being to the terminal.
I was in Customs Headquarters sometime ago in Wuse before they moved to Maitama, it was there l saw a large screen in the office of the ACG Tariff and Trade and he was showing me the revenue graphs of all the commands in Nigeria as they stood in real time. As duties were being paid, the graphs were growing. Right in his office he knew in real time when the revenue was dropping and also when it was rising. Within the space of 45 minutes l spent in his office, l could see the rise in figures .That’s the level of efficiency of Customs electronic process and digitalization.”
“Again, if you make a wrong declaration at Tincan or any other Command, an officer in Abuja would alert the Service, and your job is referred. If there is an issue in Onne, or anywhere in the East, you can be in Murtala Muhammed International Airport and view what is happening in Port Harcourt, just like in the banking industry that you can walk into any branch and make your transaction irrespective of where you are.”
“Customs has been able to achieve that level of integration. Before now, entries were released manually. But now, for instance,B’Odogwu can operate at home because it is a continuation of the modernization policy of the Nigeria Customs Service. Don’t forget that Customs started from Asycuda to Asycuda ++ to NCIS 1 and 2, and now they are continuing into what they now call B’Odogwu. But the difference is that all those other platforms were foreign. But B’Odogwu as a platform is indigenous.”
“We witnessed the same thing when late Dikko was the CG of Customs. He moved us from Risk Assessment Report (RAR) to Pre- Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR). Then we had SGS, Cotecna and Global Scan. When Dikko said we were going indigenous, there was pannick, there was fear, people were skeptical about it. And today, PAAR has come to stay, and every one has moved on. The same thing the CGC, Wale Adeniyi has repeated.”
“Surely, it is not all rosy but all we owe them is patience and understanding. I have also told Customs point blank that we are going to support B’Odogwu to work, because we are working to grow the Nigerian economy. If any sector wants to indigenise its system, we need to give it maximum support. ”
B’Odogwu, Chief Adam argued, is a Nigerian thing, and as patriotic citizens, we have no choice than to support home- grown products. “Though there are challenges, delays and network issues, but we need to be patient. All those are teething problems which l believe will give way soon. It is technology, it is ICT; nobody can get it 100% right at a time. But with our patience and understanding, it will stabilize.”
“I believe that B’Odogwu will improve, and you can see that between three weeks ago and now, there has been a tremendous improvement. There was a time one week ran out, no network, but it is no longer the same story today. But as at the moment, it is not working well and Customs know that so well.
He explained that freight forwarders had reasons to demand that Customs should grant them some level of compensation since the initial teething problem were fraught with some cost effects.
”Demurrages are there. Shipping companies and terminal operators will always say that it is not their fault; they are even enjoying it because they are making fortune out of it. Though the CG has said that he had engaged the Executive Secretary of Shipper’s Council in that regard, we are yet to see the result. So while trying to improve on the platform, they should also look for a way to compensate freight forwarders and importers, even if it is by granting provisional release or whatever they can do to fast-track the process.”
He criticized the reintroduction of the Free-on- Board (FoB) process in importation. According to him, The notable freight forwarder Chief said he was still trying to know why the Nigeria Customs reintroduced it, though with little modification.
“Technically, they say it is 3%, and we have been at that. It is legal because it is in the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023. The 4% is there, what has been delayed is the implementation. Legally speaking, Customs has not erred. What we are looking at is the timing, the moral angle – how bad the situation is presently. Inflation is here, prices of things are going up everyday. 4% at this time will automatically mean high clearing costs because every businessman checks his landing cost and spreads it on the goods to fix his price. And ultimately, the burden will be on end-users.”
He would rather ask Customs to hold on, especially this time there are teething problems with B’Odogwu.
”Not that we are saying they don’t have the power to implement it; they have the legal backing to do that. My humble appeal is that Customs should delay the implementation until we begin to reap the benefits of B’Odogwu.”
Maritime Agencies
OGUN 1 CUSTOMS: DC Oladapo Afeni Pledges Stronger Trade Facilitation, Border Security As He Becomes Acting CAC.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
A change of guards took place Thursday at the Ogun 1 Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Idiroko, with Comptroller Godwin Otunla, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), handing over to Deputy Controller Oladapo Afeni on acting capacity. The change in leadership is sequel to a directive from the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr Adewale Adeniyi.
The Command’s image maker, Deputy Superintendent of Customs Chado Zakari, disclosed this in a press statement.
At the handing-over ceremony, the image maker stated, the new Acting Customs Area Controller (CAC) expressed gratitude to the Comptroller-General of Customs for reposing confidence in him and pledged to advance and deepen ongoing reforms in trade facilitation, revenue generation and anti-smuggling operations.
Describing the Ogun I Command as a strategic gateway to the nation’s economy and a critical line of defence against illicit cross-border activities, DC Afeni stated that he was aware of the unique operational challenges available.
“It is a great honour to assume the leadership of Ogun I. I am fully aware of the vast and sensitive terrain of this Command and its importance to national security”.
He pledged to consolidate on the gains of his predecessors as he strives to deepen continuous improvement in efficiency, enforcement, intelligence-led operations, stakeholder collaboration and community relations.
He further emphasised his commitment to deepening inter-agency cooperation, suppressing smuggling to the barest minimum and prioritising the welfare and professional growth of officers under his watch.
DC Afeni, an accomplished administrator with nearly two decades of service, holds a B.Tech in Industrial Design from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, and a Master’s degree in Diplomacy and Strategic Studies from the University of Lagos. His professional training spans conflict management, international negotiation, strategic leadership and rural border patrol operations. He is also a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and a fellow of the Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria (Chartered).
In his valedictory speech earlier, the outgoing Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Godwin Otunla, described his tenure as challenging yet fulfilling. He highlighted strides made under him in curbing smuggling, enhancing trade facilitation and improving personnel welfare. He noted that strengthened inter-agency collaboration under his leadership significantly boosted security within the Command’s area of responsibility.
He expresseed confidence that DC Afeni would consolidate on his achievements and lead the Command to greater heights.
Maritime Agencies
Shippers’ Council Boss, Akutah, Advocates Stronger Alternative Disputes Resolution, Bags Special Honours from NBA
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Dr Pius Ukeyima Akutah has given a guarantee to maritime industry players, particularly shippers, that with a new approach to maritime development being championed by the Council preparatory to the passage of a new ports regulation Act to constitutionally bestow on her the status of the ports economic regulator, a law very important in dealing with all elements of their concerns has been packaged.
Dr Akutah spoke, Thursday, at the sidelines of the 10th Annual Law Week 2025, a colourful event organized by the Nigerian Bar Association, Badagry Branch, at the Gbajabiamila Conference, Centre Lagos State University, Ojo, where he was specially invested as ‘Honorary Life Member of the Heritage Bar’.
”I guarantee Nigerians and, particularly, the maritime sector players, that that law, when it comes into force, is going to protect their investment; is going to set up the standards that everyone will follow, to provide predictability of investment in the sector. So, investors will no longer be afraid of putting their money in that sector because they will be sure that their money will need investment results and returns. So it’s a law that we are waiting for, and I know that the law is meant for the good of the maritime sector in Nigeria.”
He explained that the 1978 decree, now CAPN 133 of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Act, is totally a spent law.
“It’s of no use whatsoever in the maritime sector”, he stated.
” We have a new approach to maritime development, and we should have a law that is very important to deal with all the elements that will come up for a regulator like the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.”
”That piece of legislation is very crucial for us to proceed. And I want to thank the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate President for giving attention to that bill when it came before them, and the Minister of Justice for also looking into it. So the two challenges we faced after the bill was passed, those have been cleaned up already, and the bill is back into the National Assembly for a process that will lead to a final assent by Mr. President .
Reacting to suggestions on the need for alternative disputes resolution in maritime matters, Akutah, a lawyer and technocrat of high repute, advocated that the mechanism be made very effective and efficient in tackling maritime disputes.
”Over the years, this has been advocated but not so much has been done yet. But a lot is going on. Even in the court reforms, we have the Admiralty jurisdiction of the Federal High Court which fast-tracks these processes. But yet again, because of certain unforeseen factors in the administration of justice, sometimes those delays are imminent and you can’t help it. But then the issue of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms is very crucial.
He recalled handling the case of a vessel, ‘Heroic Idiom’ as a prosecutor at the Federal Ministry of Justice, securing an out-of-court dispute resolution before being seconded to the Nigerian Shippers Council as Executive Secretary. The vessel, he explained, was accosted in Equatorial Guinea and brought back to Nigeria.
”I was a prosecutor in the case at that time before I left the Ministry of Justice. And then, if I must say, there are some other reforms going on in the Nigerian Shippers Council today. One major reform is in the area of law reform.”
He explained that at the Nigerian Shippers Council, there is a unit that is dedicated to handling maritime disputes.
”I will say that last year alone, that unit was able to resolve cases that would have cost over 6 billion in legal fees and damages and delays and all of that in maritime disputes. So we are doing everything possible to ensure that that mechanism is promoted over and against court resolution of matters so that before any case can go to court, let’s try arbitration. Let’s try any other alternative dispute resolution mechanism that are available to us in the sector..”
”Even in the Ministry of Justice where I was a prosecutor, certain cases were resolved without necessarily going to court. The courts are there. They are actually the last resort.
”When all resolution mechanisms fail, then you can approach the courts because they are statutory institutions to resolve disputes. But that doesn’t mean that individuals cannot resolve disputes by themselves, especially commercial disputes where money is involved, investments are involved in it.
So if you tie down your investments for 10 years, pursuing a legal battle in court, by the time you come back that investment has been dissipated to almost nothing. So we encourage alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to be applied first in handling maritime disputes. Majority of them are commercial disputes, not criminal cases, so to say.
Even in criminal cases, there is room for parties to settle, especially, like I said, where there is a commercial element in it and money is involved. If the parties have agreed to sort out their differences, why do you proceed to court? So this is very important.
Maritime Agencies
MMA Customs Command Hits 100.1% of Annual Revenue Target 11 Months Before Year-End.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The Murtala Mohammed Airport Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Wednesday, said that in eleven months, the Command has already achieved 100.1%, surpassing her annual revenue target for 2025. Customs Area Controller, Comptroller M.T. Awe disclosed this in Ikeja, Lagos, while highlighting the Command’s activities as well as accomplishments in its core responsibilities of revenue generation, trade facilitation and suppression of smuggling as the year ends.
Between January and November 2025, the Command generated a total of N179, 910, 971.00 from customs duties and related charges.
The seized contrabands on display.
” The revenue generated shows a significant improvement over N164, 819, 895, 457:00 that was generated in the corresponding period in 2024. This reflects an outstanding 9.16% increase, amounting to N15, 91, 75, 645: 81 kobo growth.”
”The Command’s exceptional performance within this period,” the CAC explained, “is attributed to the dedication of our personnel, strong collaboration with partner agencies, and continuous engagement with stakeholders.”
”This impressive performance reflects our unwavering commitment to efficiency, transparency and accountability. Our success is driven by enhanced trader compliance, timely monitoring of import transactions, swift detection of irregularities, and deliberate actions taken to eliminate all revenue leakages.”
He extended his heartfelt appreciation to all compliant traders and clearing agents for being cooperative and dedicated.
On anti-smuggling operations, during this period, the Command successfully intercepted and seized the following prohibited items:3pkgs of Colorado CAT Leaf4pkgs of Nigeria Immigration Service uniform materials, 1pkg Two-way Radio Walkie Talkie and 1pkg of TIPPMANN Semi-Automatic 50/68 Calibre Magfed Paintball marker gun. Others were 75pkgs of Pangolin Scales , 1pkg of Elephant Tusk, 2pkgs of Canadian Cannabis Sativa, 6pkgs of 225mg Tramadol Hydrochloride and 17pkgs of unregistered 300mg Pregabalin tablets Others were 5pkgs of unregistered 2mg Sardulud and 50mg Norflex tablets, 6pkgs of 225mg Tramadol Hydrochloride and 523pcs of signed Deutsch Bank and AIB Bank Cheques. The total Duty Paid Value of these seizures is N7, 201, 895, 232:00.
The Command was able to achieve this feat through robust intelligence gathering, strengthened surveillance efforts as well as effective collaboration with relevant partners.
”The Command remains firmly committed to its zero-tolerance stance on smuggling and will continue to enforce all applicable trade laws with the highest standards of integrity and professionalism”.
Comptroller Awe espoused the virtues of strong stakeholder relationships and its role in the Command’s achievements.
”Throughout the period under review, we sustained an open communication and mutual cooperation with all stakeholders and sister agencies. These engagements enabled us to resolve challenges amicably, harmonize procedures, and deepen institutional trust.Together, we created a more conducive environment for legitimate trade while maintaining strict and consistent enforcement against all forms of violations.”
He expressed profound gratitude to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, and the entire management team for their visionary leadership and unwavering support.
”Their guidance has been instrumental to every accomplishment we have recorded. I equally extend my heartfelt appreciation to the officers and men of the Command. Your dedication, resilience and professionalism have been the backbone of our success”.
He urged them the personnel to continue upholding the Service’ core values of integrity, discipline, and excellence in service delivery.
”To our stakeholders, I remain deeply grateful for your patience, understanding and cooperation. You have been true partners in progress, and your contributions have strengthened our collective efforts”.
Murtala Muhammed Area Command, he emphasized, remains firmly committed to improving revenue generation, intensifying the fight against smuggling and deepening stakeholder collaboration.
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