Nigerian economy may be losing millions of dollars annually through Temporary Importation Permit, TIP, granted to foreign ship owners by the Ministry of Finance and the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS.

Former Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Temisan Omatseye, has said that Nigeria is losing about 300 million dollars yearly for berthing Five Degrees East on Nigerian waters.

With construction of three deep sea ports in the country, Nigeria is opening up its waters for trade with the rest of the world. These ports, located in Lagos and Akwa Ibom states, are the efforts of a public private partnership aimed at increasing revenue generation, creating employment and increasing tonnage for the Nigerian Ship Registry.

The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) has elected its 15 new governing council members over the weekend after six years of expiration of the tenure of the previous council in 2012.

Immediate past chairman of the Council of Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, CRFFN and Managing Director of Talod Oceanair Freight Limited, Alhaji Hakeem Olanrewaju, in this interview with Maritime Reporter, Godfrey Bivbere, speaks on several issues ranging from permanent solution to the perennial traffic situation around the Apapa ports, CRFFN, domination of Customs brokers’ job by foreigners and many more. Excerpt:  

NIGERIA currently falls foul of international maritime convention following the non-domestication of these conventions in its municipal laws.

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has reiterated the need for ship-owners to use Flat Bottom Vessels (FBVs) to attract more cargo to the port in Warri.

There are indications that the upcoming security   report on Nigeria’s marine space may worsen with operators accusing international interest groups of mischief over the report.

EFFORT by the present government to resuscitate the economy through efficient fiscal policy implementation remains high and vibrant, despite that unscrupulous elements remain hell bent in thwarting all measures put in place to refloat the economy, the Customs Area Controller of Ogun Command, Comptroller Michael Agbara has disclosed.

SIFAX Haulage and Logistics Limited, has acquired 20 new trucks to boost its operations and consolidate its position as a leading operator in the country’s logistics industry. 

As Five Star discharges rail lines with locally fabricated equipment Nigeria’s maritime industry has recorded a new feat with a successful deployment of the first locally fabricated heavy duty multi-purpose discharge crane at Terminal C of the Tin-can Island port.

NIGERIAN Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA,  has said insecurity presents a major challenge for  operators to fully exploit the  enormous benefits available in the maritime sector in Nigeria.

As a means of curbing corruption in cargo clearing process at the port, the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS must link licences issued for brokage to individuals.

Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, has blamed the rise in smuggling in the country on government’s policy inconsistency and high tariff placed on some categories of imported goods.

The strike force on smuggling of foreign parboiled rice set up by the Comptroller General of Customs, CGC has intercepted five trailers of rice with Duty Paid Value (DPV) worth N42 million.