ANLCA flays shipping lines, terminal operators over degrading port conditions

The Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Western Zone, has accused shipping companies and terminal operators in Nigeria of operating without social responsibility while subjecting freight agents to degrading working conditions at the nation’s seaports.

The Western Zone Coordinator of ANLCA, Alhaji Femi Anifowose, said shipping companies operating in Apapa have failed to give back to their host communities despite generating huge revenues from Nigerian trade.

He alleged that rather than invest in port communities or improve service delivery, the companies focus on siphoning funds out of the country through profit repatriation, while repeatedly imposing higher charges on port users.

According to Anifowose, the situation is worsened by terminal operators who, he said, provide poor and unconducive sheds for freight agents, making legitimate port operations unnecessarily difficult and stressful.

He described the treatment of freight agents at some terminals as inhumane, noting that operators conduct business in environments that fall far below acceptable standards.

He singled out APM Terminals and ENL Consortium as locations where agents face severe hardship in the course of clearing cargo. At ENL, he said, inefficiencies in cargo handling and operational delays almost guarantee demurrage payments on consignments, regardless of an agent’s diligence.

While operations at APMT are slightly better, Anifowose noted that delays and systemic bottlenecks remain common. He identified Eko Support Services as the most efficient terminal in Apapa Port, though he acknowledged that even the facility struggles when faced with large volumes of cargo, leading to congestion and avoidable delays.

The ANLCA Coordinator also raised concerns over what he described as exploitative practices by some shipping companies, including the commencement of demurrage charges before vessels berth and containers are discharged.

He warned that such practices, combined with proposed new shipping charges, would further inflate the cost of doing business at the ports.

Anifowose argued that the renewed push for higher charges is difficult to justify, especially given that shipping companies had increased tariffs by over 400 percent three years ago, while key cost drivers such as foreign exchange and diesel prices have stabilised or declined.

He warned that the cumulative effect of these charges would be passed on to consumers in an import-dependent economy, fuelling inflation and hurting ordinary Nigerians.

While noting claims by some shipping company executives that the proposed increments are meant to support staff welfare and office maintenance, Anifowose insisted that such internal costs should not be transferred to freight agents and importers.

He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intervene to check arbitrary charges, enforce fair port practices and compel shipping companies and terminal operators to uphold their social and operational responsibilities, warning that continued neglect could undermine confidence in Nigeria’s maritime sector and disrupt trade.