The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has ordered an immediate suspension of the proposed tariff increment by shipping companies, following a heated pushback from stakeholders who described the new charges as extortionary and unjustifiable.
The suspension was announced on Wednesday after a tense meeting at the NSC headquarters, where freight forwarders and importers laid bare a litany of operational failures by shipping lines, specifically citing billing irregularities and a lack of infrastructure.
While the meeting was convened to discuss tariff reviews, the conversation quickly pivoted to the alleged inefficiencies of the service providers.
Prince Olawale Cole, the Tincan Chapter Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), did not mince words.
He accused shipping lines specifically calling out the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) of exploiting Nigerian traders through opaque billing systems.
“Nobody has asked us about operational challenges that we have with these shipping companies,” Cole stated. “This same shipping company charges for holidays that we don’t work. They charge for weekends that they don’t work. They collect detention fees for 14-21 days, yet they operate without holding bays.”
Cole further alleged that shipping lines are effectively using trucks as mobile holding bays to extract more money from agents, a practice he described as unchecked extortion.
Responding to the uproar, the NSC, representing the Federal Government, maintained that no increment would be allowed without adherence to due process and economic justification.
Speaking on behalf of Executive Secretary Dr. Pius Akutah, Director of Consumer Affairs Mrs. Ify Okolue emphasized that the regulator’s primary duty is to protect the economy from anti-competitive pricing.
“Our role is not only to ensure that service providers operate within an economically justifiable framework but also to protect port users from arbitrary, unjustified, or anti-competitive charges,” the Council stated.
The consensus among the Organised Private Sector (OPS) including representatives from LCCI, NACCIMA, and IMAN was that shipping companies must fix their operational deficiencies before demanding higher fees.
Chief Ndubuisi George, National Vice President of the Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN), warned that arbitrary hikes would lead to abandoned cargoes and investment losses.
He called for a six-month grace period for goods already in transit and demanded a transparent, internationally benchmarked tariff-setting framework.
“We resolved that all increments in shipping charges remain suspended until proper engagement is done,” confirmed Emmanuel Onyeme, National Publicity Secretary of ANLCA. “The increment doesn’t have any justification.”
The NSC has directed shipping companies to return to the drawing board and engage with the trading public importers and freight forwarders before returning to the regulator.
