Rising shipping costs at Nigeria’s seaports could soon translate into higher prices for goods nationwide, as the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Western Zone, has warned that proposed new charges by shipping companies risk fuelling inflation in an already fragile economy.
The association said the planned increments, coming barely three years after shipping lines raised tariffs by over 400 percent, are difficult to justify given the relative stabilisation of key cost drivers such as foreign exchange rates and diesel prices.
According to ANLCA, the cumulative burden of port-related charges is steadily pushing up the cost of imports, with consequences that will ultimately be borne by consumers.
Speaking on the issue, the Western Zone Coordinator of ANLCA, Alhaji Femi Anifowose, said unchecked shipping charges and persistent operational inefficiencies at the ports are undermining trade facilitation and worsening inflationary pressures in Nigeria’s import-dependent economy.
Beyond the impact of rising charges, Anifowose accused shipping companies operating in Apapa of failing to demonstrate social responsibility to their host communities despite generating substantial revenues from Nigeria’s international trade.
He alleged that rather than reinvesting in port infrastructure or community development, the companies focus largely on profit repatriation while transferring rising operational costs to freight agents and importers.
He said the situation is further aggravated by terminal operators who provide poor and unconducive working environments for freight agents, making legitimate port operations unnecessarily difficult.
According to him, conditions at some terminals fall far below acceptable standards, exposing agents to what he described as inhumane treatment in the course of clearing cargo.
Anifowose specifically cited APM Terminals and ENL Consortium as facilities where freight agents face severe operational challenges.
At ENL, he said inefficiencies in cargo handling and systemic delays often result in unavoidable demurrage on consignments, regardless of an agent’s diligence.
While noting that operations at APM Terminals are relatively better, he maintained that delays and bottlenecks remain common.
He identified Eko Support Services as the most efficient terminal in Apapa Port but observed that even the facility struggles during periods of high cargo volume, leading to congestion and avoidable delays that increase costs for port users.
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 the proposed new charges, would further escalate the cost of doing business at Nigerian ports.
Questioning the justification for the fresh increments, Anifowose said shipping companies had already implemented steep tariff increases three years ago, even as prevailing economic conditions no longer support such adjustments.
He cautioned that additional charges would be passed on to consumers, worsening inflation and reducing purchasing power. While some shipping company executives have argued that the proposed increments are intended to support staff welfare and office maintenance, Anifowose insisted that such internal costs should not be transferred to freight agents, importers or end users.
He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intervene by checking arbitrary charges, enforcing fair port practices and compelling shipping companies and terminal operators to meet their social and operational obligations, warning that failure to act could erode confidence in Nigeria’s maritime sector and disrupt trade flows.
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