Managing Director of Mainstream Cargo, Seyi Adewale, has blamed inefficiencies within Nigeria’s customs and cargo clearing system to the continuous rise in the cost of imported goods.

Adewale speaking with The Guardian yesterday in his office at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, said that importers and cargo agents often forced to bear the financial burden of delays caused by government agencies and terminal operators.

Adewale, who spoke on the challenges affecting cargo movement across Nigeria’s airports and seaports, said frequent downtime on customs clearing platforms and poor ICT infrastructure continued to disrupt cargo processing and increase operational costs for importers and freight forwarders.

According to him, any interruption on customs processing platforms has a direct impact on the final cost of goods because importers operate within limited demurrage-free periods.

He said: “In the air side, the infrastructural challenges largely have been mitigated, but let me start with one major ICT infrastructure that can affect the cargo clearing process and increase the costs. The inefficiency at any particular point in time, or the downtime expressed, either on B’Ogogwu or customs clearing platform, has a direct correlation on the final cost of an item. That is the major aspect.

“We have just seven days to clear any goods for any client, demurrage free days and if for any reason, there is downtime or there are issues regarding customs ICT infrastructure in clearing, it directly affects the shipment. If customs systems are down, the importer eventually pays for that inefficiency.”

Adewale explained further that the delays not only increase costs, but also created tension between importers and licensed clearing agents who are under pressure to meet strict timelines.

He criticised the growing practice by shipping lines of reducing demurrage-free periods for cargoes arriving at Nigerian ports, describing the situation as exploitative.

He disclosed that some importers are now given as little as four days to clear cargo, a timeline he insisted are practically impossible considering the bureaucratic bottlenecks within the ports system.

He said: “Before now, shipping companies gave between 14 and 21 days free demurrage, but now some importers have only four days. The counting even starts immediately the vessel arrives, not when the cargo is discharged. So, you are almost guaranteed to pay demurrage.”

The freight forwarder alleged that delays in cargo positioning, examination procedures and customs processing are often beyond the control of importers, yet the financial consequences are transferred entirely to them.

Apart from customs-related challenges, Adewale identified weak infrastructure across cargo handling facilities as another major obstacle to efficient cargo operations in Nigeria.

He canvassed for improved cold-chain infrastructure for temperature-sensitive cargo, noting that cargo handling companies must not only provide cold rooms, but also ensure consistent temperature monitoring.

He also raised concerns over poor ICT communication between cargo handling companies, airlines, customs and regulatory agencies such as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

According to him, seamless communication among all stakeholders was necessary to achieving efficient cargo operations.

Adewale further queried the long-term capacity of airport cargo facilities to cope with Nigeria’s growing economy, urging authorities, especially the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to invest in innovation, space optimisation and modern screening equipment.

He declared that FAAN must continuously upgrade screening machines and improve cargo terminal planning to prevent congestion and operational delays.

On the seaport side, he lamented the increasing decentralisation of cargo terminals, saying importers often struggle to locate their shipments after arrival.

Adewale noted that some cargoes are transferred to distant terminals outside the main port corridor, complicating clearance processes and increasing logistics costs.

He called for urgent reforms in customs operations, cargo handling procedures and port infrastructure to reduce avoidable costs and improve the competitiveness of Nigeria’s logistics sector.