The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has accused shipping lines of deliberately frustrating the return of empty containers while continuing to impose detention charges on freight forwarders and importers.
NAGAFF said the current empty-container return system was unsustainable and detrimental to trade facilitation, port efficiency and the ease of doing business in Nigeria, urging the shipping lines to bring the practice to an immediate end.

NAGAFF stated this in a letter dated August 6, 2026, copied to the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Shippers’ Council, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority, the Commissioner of Police, Port, the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Port Managers, Founder of NAGAFF and the National President of NAGAFF.
The association alleged that some shipping lines were effectively converting haulage trucks into temporary holding bays by refusing to receive empty containers due to inadequate or unavailable holding facilities.

The letter, signed by the National Coordinator, 100 per cent Compliance Team of NAGAFF, Ibrahim Tanko and addressed to all shipping lines, said the practice had subjected freight forwarders, importers and haulage operators to unnecessary financial losses.
According to the association, freight forwarders often take delivery of import containers from the ports only to encounter difficulties when attempting to return the empty containers.

It alleged that rather than providing adequate facilities for the prompt return of empty containers, some shipping lines wait for vessels to arrive before accepting the containers, leaving haulage trucks tied down for days or weeks.
“This practice is unacceptable because it unlawfully ties down trucks for days or even weeks, preventing transporters from taking on other jobs and causing avoidable financial losses,” NAGAFF said.

The association further warned that the situation was contributing to severe congestion along port access roads, while importers continued to incur detention charges despite the alleged inability of shipping lines to receive their empty containers.
NAGAFF described the practice as fundamentally unjust, arguing that shipping lines should not charge customers for delays allegedly caused by the lines themselves.

“It is fundamentally unjust for a shipping line to refuse to receive its empty container while simultaneously charging customers for failing to return that same container. No person or organisation should profit from a delay that it deliberately creates,” the association stated.
As part of its demands, NAGAFF called on all shipping lines to provide holding bays capable of receiving empty containers without unnecessary delays, in line with applicable regulations.

It also demanded the immediate suspension of what it described as unfair detention charges and the refund of detention charges already collected from affected customers.
The association warned that failure by shipping lines to address the issue could prompt it to pursue all lawful means available to protect the interests of freight forwarders and Nigerian importers.

“Should this unfair practice continue, NAGAFF will have no option but to pursue every lawful means available to protect the interests of freight forwarders and Nigerian importers,” it warned.