Esther Oritse


Lagos —

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) has dismissed media claims about higher freight costs at Onne Port, stating that the organization did not approve any such increase.

The Council stated in an announcement that the most recent authorized increase occurred in 2021, noting further that any subsequent hikes in fees beyond this date were not sanctioned by them.

During a phone conversation with our correspondent, the Executive Secretary of the Council, Barr. Akuta Ukeyima, stated that ever since he took office as CEO of the organization, there hasn’t been any dialogue regarding an increase in fees with any terminal operators.

He stated that the rise in fees was sanctioned in both 2021 and 2023—well prior to his tenure starting in 2924—and adhered to proper procedures, with all parties involved being appropriately engaged before reaching an accord on raising the rates.

A declaration signed by the council’s administration stated that the present charges are applied at the West African Container Terminal (WACT). The fee structure for Onne Port underwent a proper review and approval process by the council.

A portion of the statement indicates: “The Nigerian Shippers Council has noticed a recent post circulating on social media regarding the approval for tariff revision granted to the West African Container Terminal, WACT, in both 2021 and 2023.”

As the regulatory body for the port industry, the Council deems it essential to correct the record and offer clarity to prevent any dissemination of false information.

The tariff increase enacted by WACT was examined and endorsed by the NSC.

The evaluation was carried out after thorough assessments to guarantee that the rates stay within an acceptable industry standard and in line with current economic conditions.

It should be noted that as part of its regulatory role, the NSC guarantees that all tariff modifications are equitable, justified, and viable for both service providers and port users.

As stated by WACT, before introducing the updated tariff framework, they had extensive discussions with key leaders from various registered clearing agent organizations based in Onne. These included representatives from 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), as well as members of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA). As a result of these talks, an understanding was reached that implementing changes should occur gradually to mitigate effects on those using the ports.

The Nigerian Shippers Council continues to uphold its commitment to fostering fair and competitive practices within the port industry, striving to balance the interests of terminal operators and port users alike. We encourage all parties involved to participate constructively and adhere to the regulatory guidelines in order to boost efficiency across our port activities.