Cargo clearance delays cost shippers N70,000 per container, says Customs

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has revealed that unnecessary delays in clearing cargoes at seaports cost shippers an additional N70,000 daily per container in storage charges paid to terminal operators.

The Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Port Command, Babatunde Olomu, made this disclosure during Nigeria’s commemoration of the 2025 International Customs Day (ICD) with the global community.

The global event, themed, ‘Customs Delivering on its Commitment to Efficiency, Security, and Prosperity’, was set by the World Customs Organisation (WCO).

Olomu emphasised the importance of collaboration between the NCS and other port service providers to ensure swift cargo evacuation.

He reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to improving port efficiency, expediting cargo clearance and enhancing trade facilitation.

“If we can minimize delays and streamline clearing processes at the ports, the revenue generated will significantly increase,” he stated.

Olomu further noted the financial burden on shippers caused by delays, saying, “Each day a container spends at the port incurs a storage fee of approximately N70,000. Over one or two weeks, the financial impact of these delays becomes significant,” he said.

He assured stakeholders that the Apapa Port Customs Command would prioritise efficient processes in line with key initiatives such as Advanced Ruling, Authorised Economic Operators (AEOs), and the B’Odogwu platform.

He also urged officers of the command to maintain high levels of efficiency and collaboration.

The Chief Port Security Officer of Lagos Port Complex Apapa, Bukar Kaumi, commended Olomu’s leadership, highlighting interventions addressing traffic, port access roads and grievances from freight agents.

Also, the Director of Ports Inspection at the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Olakunle Olaniran, praised the synergy between Customs and the agency.

He said the collaboration both agencies have experienced recently is unprecedented and worth celebrating, adding that partnerships like these are crucial for Nigeria’s growth.

The Assistant Commander of Narcotics at the Apapa Office of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr Thomas Ogbudu, also lauded the Customs command for its unwavering partnership with the NDLEA in combating drug smuggling through the seaports.