By Chigozie Daniel
The crisis rocking Nigeria’s maritime sector deepened at the weekend as the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Western Zone, alongside the Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON), openly faulted the handling of shipping charges by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), accusing the regulator of reneging on a critical agreement.
In a strongly worded statement signed by ANLCA’s National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel C. Onyeme, the group lamented that the Council had failed to honour its commitment, made three months ago, to suspend the proposed increase in shipping charges pending broad-based stakeholder consultations.
Rather than uphold that agreement, the stakeholders alleged that the NSC had tacitly allowed shipping companies to proceed with the implementation of the controversial charges without prior engagement, a move they described as a breach of trust and a blow to transparency within the port system.
The situation, they said, was further muddied by an unsigned statement circulating on social media, purportedly issued by the Council, announcing a suspension of the charges. The release, which emerged during a public holiday, was neither formally communicated to key stakeholders nor acknowledged by shipping firms.
Shipping companies, according to the stakeholders, have since denied receiving any official directive, thereby continuing with the implementation of the charges and compounding confusion across the maritime value chain.
This development, industry players warned, has significantly eroded confidence in the leadership of the NSC and triggered the second phase of service withdrawal by freight forwarders, raising fears of a looming operational paralysis at the nation’s seaports.
As part of their resolutions, the freight forwarders declared that the ongoing withdrawal of services and picketing of shipping companies would persist until clarity, accountability and proper communication are restored.
They also issued a firm three-day ultimatum to the NSC, spanning March 23 to 25, to convene a comprehensive stakeholders’ meeting, warning that failure to comply would result in a total shutdown of port operations nationwide.
In a bid to avert escalation, the groups called for the urgent intervention of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, urging him to restore order and facilitate constructive dialogue among all parties.
While reiterating their commitment to port stability, the stakeholders stressed that they were not opposed to legitimate adjustments in shipping charges, but insisted that due process, transparency and inclusive engagement must be upheld to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s maritime sector.