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‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
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‎Come September 10, 2026, top government officials, industry leaders and maritime stakeholders will converge to discuss and chart a new course for the competitiveness of Nigerian ports.
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‎The event being put together by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria
‎(MARAN) to mark her MARAN Annual Maritime Lecture (MAMAL) holds at the Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos, under the theme: “Nigerian Ports Modernisation, Charges and the Competitiveness Question.”
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‎The event is expected to provide a high-level platform for discussions on the reforms needed to make Nigerian ports more efficient, cost-effective and globally competitive.
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‎Deliberations, the organizers say, will focus on key issues affecting the nation’s maritime industry. These include port infrastructure modernisation, operational efficiency, port charges, trade facilitation and policy reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s position as a leading maritime hub in West and Central Africa.
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‎Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, will attend as the Special Guest of Honour, highlighting the Federal Government’s commitment to deepen reforms in the maritime and blue economy sectors.
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‎The keynote address will be delivered by Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Policy and Coordination and Head of the Central Delivery Coordination Unit (CDCU). She is expected to outline the Federal Government’s policy direction and the role of coordinated reforms in improving port efficiency, attracting investment and driving economic growth.
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‎MARAN President, Mr. Oluyinka Onigbinde, disclosed that the lecture will be chaired by TANTITA Security Services Limited. He said the event will bring together government officials, maritime agencies, terminal operators, shipping companies, port users, investors, academics, development partners and media practitioners for robust discussions on the future of Nigeria’s port industry.
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‎Onigbinde noted that MAMAL has earned a reputation as one of the maritime sector’s foremost policy dialogue platforms, providing stakeholders with the opportunity to exchange ideas, build partnerships and recommend practical solutions to challenges confronting the industry.
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‎He added that this year’s lecture is expected to generate actionable recommendations on reducing the cost of doing business at Nigerian ports, improving operational efficiency, enhancing investor confidence and accelerating Nigeria’s quest to become a preferred maritime and logistics hub in the sub-region.
‎MARAN has therefore called on stakeholders from both the public and private sectors to participate actively in the event, describing MAMAL 2026 as a strategic forum for shaping policies and partnerships that will drive sustainable growth, competitiveness and innovation in Nigeria’s maritime industry.
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‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
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‎The 100% Compliance Team of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has called for immediate suspension and refund of illegal tolls and charges allegedly being collected from freight forwarders at some bonded terminals in Lagos.
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‎The demand is contained in a notice by Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko, National Coordinator of the Compliance Team, addressed to managers of bonded terminals operating under the Nigeria Customs Service, Zone A, Lagos.
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‎In the notice, NAGAFF gave the affected terminals seven days to provide documentary evidence of the legal authority backing the disputed charges or face possible regulatory and legal action.
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‎The association alleged that some bonded terminals, alongside individuals purportedly acting on behalf of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), have been imposing additional charges on imported containers and cargo handling separate from statutory fees payable to relevant government agencies.
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‎According to NAGAFF, the alleged charges are as high as $3,000 for a 20-foot container and $6,000 for a 40-foot container. The Association says more than ₦178 million has so far been collected from its members under the disputed charges.
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‎NAGAFF explained that it had repeatedly requested evidence of lawful authorisation for the collections, including gazettes, approved tariffs and other regulatory instruments, but these have not been provided.
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‎The association also questioned the transparency of the collections, citing what it described as the absence of official receipts issued by relevant regulatory authorities, published tariffs or legal notices establishing the charges.
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‎Continuous collection of the disputed fees, the Association argues, amounts to an unlawful restriction on trade facilitation even as it imposes additional financial burdens on freight forwarders operating through the affected terminals.
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‎NAGAFF therefore demands an immediate halt to the collection of the disputed charges and the refund of all sums it considers to have been unlawfully collected from its members.
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‎It further requests that where a refund cannot be made immediately, the affected terminals submit a written proposal for reconciliation and refund within a seven-day period.
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‎The association warns that failure to meet its demands could trigger further regulatory and legal measures including petitions to relevant government agencies, moves to shut down affected bonded terminals and legal proceedings to protect the interests of its members.
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‎NAGAFF also called on the Managing Director of the NPA to make available relevant instruments prohibiting the collection of association dues within ports and terminal areas.
‎Specifically, the association requested access to a purported NPA port order and a Lagos High Court order relating to the payment of such dues, saying the documents would help clarify the regulatory position on the disputed collections.
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‎NAGAFF insists that all charges imposed on freight forwarders and cargo owners within the port and terminal environment should have clear legal and regulatory backing for the sake of transparency.
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‎Such transparency and accountability, the Association says, were necessary to promote efficient trade facilitation and protect freight forwarders and cargo owners from what it described as unjustified financial burdens within the maritime sector.
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‎The notice was copied to the Nigeria Shippers’ Council, Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), port managers, as well as the Founder and National President of NAGAFF.
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‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
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‎Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, PhD, has restated the resolve of the Service to stop at nothing to identify, track, arrest, and prosecute every individual connected to criminal enterprises as Nigeria’s ports will never be safe havens for the trafficking of illicit weapons, narcotics or other prohibited goods.
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‎The CGC made the vow in Lagos, Thursday, during a press conference at the Tincan Island Port Command to unveil a container bearing parts of pump-action rifles alongside the seizure of two 40-footer containers laden with cannabis-infused products concealed among imported goods.
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‎The operations, he explained, underscore the unwavering commitment of the Customs shield Nigeria’s borders from prohibited importations that threaten national security and public health.
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‎”On 8 July 2026, Container No. TEMU 184536/9 arrived at Tincan Island Port aboard MV VELIKA and was flagged through our intelligence-driven risk management system for enhanced monitoring. Acting on credible intelligence, officers placed the container under surveillance and subsequently subjected it to a detailed physical examination at the Customs Enforcement Station.
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‎The examination uncovered concealed crates containing knocked-down components preliminarily identified as JoJeff pump-action rifles, which are currently undergoing detailed technical examination and inventory to determine the exact quantity and configuration recovered.”
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‎”Investigations extended beyond the seizure. On 31 July 2026, one suspect was arrested at Migfo Bonded Terminal while attempting to facilitate the release of the container. Documentary evidence, financial records, and telecommunications analysis established his connection with the named consignee, including a ₦10,000 payment received from a company account linked to the consignee on the day of his arrest. Two suspects are currently in custody assisting investigators, while another principal suspect remains at large and is being actively pursued.”
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‎”In a separate enforcement operation, officers intercepted two 40-foot containers conveying illicit cannabis-infused products concealed alongside two used vehicles, two used pumping generators, rolls of blue polypropylene spunbond fabric, new tubular batteries, and thunder arrester cables.
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‎”The seizures include: 109 cartons of Delta-8 cannabis-infused pre-roll cookies (8,720 pieces; 17.44kg) valued at ₦308,792,640.
‎125 cartons of Delta-8 cannabis-infused gummies (740 packs; 515.2kg) valued at ₦40,700,000.
‎73 cartons of cannabis-infused cookies (442 packs; 309.4kg) valued at ₦24,310,000.
‎The combined street value of all illicit substances seized is ₦373,802,640.”
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‎He described the interceptions as strategic and worrisome because they demonstrate the growing sophistication of transnational criminal networks who exploit legitimate trade channels to traffic illicit weapons and dangerous narcotic products. The interceptions also reaffirm the effectiveness of the Nigeria Customs Service’s intelligence-driven enforcement strategy, advanced risk profiling systems, and strong inter-agency collaboration.
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‎CGC Adeniyi gave kudos to officers and men of the Tincan Island Port Command and the Customs Enforcement Unit for being vigilant, professional and dedicated.
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‎He also appreciated the continued support of sister security and law enforcement agencies in safeguarding the nation.
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‎”I assure Nigerians that the Service remains resolute in securing our borders, facilitating legitimate trade and preventing the importation of prohibited and dangerous goods. We encourage members of the public to continue providing credible intelligence to support our efforts against smuggling and transnational organised crime.”
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‎”We will continue to keep the public informed as investigations progress and prosecutions commence.”
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