Shippers’ Council insists APFFLON claims over hike in Onne port charges is misleading

By Ezurike Ugochukwu 

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has stated that the alarm raised and inability of the Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) to participate in the stakeholders engagement process that birthed hike of Onne Port charges by the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), was a misleading alarm.

NSC in its clarification stated that the association had failed to obtain an introductory letter from the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), a prerequisite for recognition as an agent, thereby excluding itself from participating in the stakeholder engagement process conducted prior to the port charges increase.

In a press statement issued made available to Nation Update last Monday, the NSC management, the port regulator emphasised that other freight forwarding associations were duly sensitised ahead of the tariff adjustments.

NSC went further to state as thus: “The attention of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has been drawn to recent publications circulating on social media concerning the tariff review approval granted to the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) in 2021 and 2023.

“As the economic regulator of the port sector, the Council considers it necessary to set the record straight and provide clarifications to prevent any misinformation.

“The tariff increment implemented by WACT was duly reviewed and approved by the NSC. The review was conducted following rigorous assessment processes to ensure that the rates remained within acceptable industry benchmarks and aligned with prevailing economic realities.

“It is pertinent to note that the NSC, in its regulatory capacity, ensures that all approved tariff adjustments are fair, justifiable, and sustainable for both service providers and port users.

“According to WACT, prior to the implementation of the new tariff structure, WACT engaged extensively with the leadership of registered clearing agents at Onne Port, including the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (ARFFN), and the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA).

“The discussions resulted in a mutual agreement that the implementation would be phased to minimise the impact on port users.

“In adherence to this agreement, WACT initially implemented the first phase of the tariff increment, which was accepted by service users. Following thorough consultations and considerations, the final phase of the agreed increment was scheduled for implementation after a one-month and two-week notice period provided to stakeholders, ensuring transparency and adequate preparation.

“The claim by APFFLON is misleading. According to WACT, APFFLON has, for two years, failed to obtain an introductory letter from the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), which is a prerequisite for recognition as an agent.

“As such, their inability to participate in the stakeholder engagement process was due to their own non-compliance with regulatory requirements and not an act of exclusion by WACT.

“The Nigerian Shippers’ Council remains committed to its mandate of ensuring fair and competitive practices in the port sector while balancing the interests of terminal operators and port users.

“We urge stakeholders to engage constructively and in accordance with regulatory frameworks to enhance efficiency in our port operations,” the release stated.