WAF Shipping Focus: Week 12
- Agwe Logistics Solutions
- Mar 26
- 4 min read
Tensions are mounting at Nigeria’s ports as freight forwarders and logistics operators threaten a full-scale shutdown in response to the controversial implementation of new shipping charges. The Western Zone of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), alongside the Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria and other stakeholders, have given authorities a three-day ultimatum to resolve the matter. At the centre of the dispute is the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), which had reportedly assured industry players that proposed increases in shipping charges would be suspended pending stakeholder consultations. Instead, shipping companies appear to have moved forward with the new fees, creating uncertainty and eroding trust among operators. Stakeholders also raised concerns over an unsigned statement circulating on social media, purportedly from the NSC, directing a suspension of the charges.
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The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has formally written Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), directing the shipping firm to suspend the implementation of its newly introduced shipping tariff, as tensions continue to rise within Nigeria’s maritime sector over the proposed charges. In a letter dated March 23, 2026, titled “Re: Suspension of Tariff Approval” with reference number MSC/RSD/M4/044/VOL/124, the Council instructed the shipping giant to comply with the earlier directive halting the tariff increase. The letter, signed by the Director of the Regulatory Services Department, Margaret Ogbonnah, on behalf of the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Pius Akutah, was addressed to the Managing Director of MSC. According to the Council, the shipping line must maintain the current tariff regime until a stakeholders’ meeting is convened to deliberate on the proposed charges and their implications for port users.
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The Nigerian Navy has rescued seven persons after following a boat collision in the Ogboinbiri waterways in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa. The Director of Naval Information, Navy Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho made this known in a statement in Abuja. Folorunsho said the rescue was carried out in a swift search and rescue operation after a distress call on the incident involving a Tantita patrol boat and a wooden market boat. He said personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) SOROH were immediately deployed to the scene, leading to the successful rescue of the victims. According to him, the rescued persons were promptly evacuated to a nearby medical facility for urgent attention, while efforts are ongoing to locate other missing persons.
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Ghana and Colombia have entered into a landmark agreement to establish a direct maritime shipping route between the Port of Tema and the Port of Cartagena, a move expected to enhance trade between Africa and Latin America. The agreement was announced by Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, following successful negotiations in Bogotá on, March 23. It marks a significant step towards strengthening economic cooperation between the two regions. The new shipping corridor is designed to streamline trade by improving logistics, reducing transit time, and opening up fresh business opportunities for exporters and importers on both sides of the Atlantic. The initiative received strong support from Colombia’s Vice President, Francia Elena Márquez Mina, whose role was described as pivotal in advancing the partnership. Ghana also commended Colombia’s Foreign Minister, Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio, for her commitment and leadership in bringing the agreement to fruition.
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The Nigerian Navy has stepped up efforts to strengthen regional maritime security with plans to establish a Combined Maritime Task Force (CMTF), positioning it as a multinational initiative to safeguard the Gulf of Guinea and enhance global shipping safety. Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, made this known while receiving the Danish Ambassador to Nigeria, Jen Ole Bach Hansen, at Naval Headquarters in Abuja. During the meeting, the naval chief reaffirmed Nigeria’s leadership role in driving a coordinated multinational maritime security framework in the Gulf of Guinea, a critical corridor for international trade. He stressed that the region remains vital to global shipping, noting that countries like Denmark depend significantly on its sea lanes for commerce. Vice Admiral Abbas disclosed that the proposed CMTF, expected to commence operations by mid-2026, would bring together “like-minded nations” to improve maritime domain awareness, boost joint response capabilities, and consolidate recent gains against piracy and other maritime threats in the region.
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For decades, Nigeria’s maritime gateways-specifically the aging titans of Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports have functioned less like engines of growth and more like bottlenecks of bureaucracy. The air at the Lagos lagoon has long been thick with the scent of saltwater, pure water sachets, human waste, diesel, and the stagnant frustration of thousands of containers trapped in manual clearing loops. However, a new tide is coming in. The Federal Government’s recently inked a £746 million ($997million) modernisation deal with the UK government, which marks the first systematic overhaul of these ports in nearly half a century. This isn’t just about painting warehouses or buying bigger cranes. Backed by UK Export Finance (UKEF) and coordinated by Citibank, the project targets total replacement of the 1970s-era infrastructure with 21st-century automation.
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