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By Steve Agbota
The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has called on the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to immediately suspend the newly introduced call-up system at Onne Port, pending a comprehensive stakeholder consultation and cost-benefit analysis.
The association said that the call-up system would hinder the non-oil export policy of the Federal Government by increasing the costs of exports.
In a statement issued on Friday and made available to Daily Sun, the APFFLON President, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, said that this development is particularly troubling in light of the Federal Government’s continuous efforts to reduce the cost of port operations, promote the ease of doing business, and reposition Nigeria as a maritime hub in West Africa.
He said that the situation will add more cost layers through a duplicative or commercially driven call-up system, which undermines these objectives and threatens Nigeria’s regional competitiveness.
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“On behalf of the Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON), I write to respectfully express our deep concerns regarding the recent introduction of a call-up system at the Onne Port, as well as emerging challenges surrounding the export terminal operations at the port.
“While we understand the importance of orderliness and traffic management around port environments, it is worrisome that this call-up system has been introduced at Onne Port with associated costs, especially when the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) – operating within the same port – already has facilities that can effectively manage traffic without incurring any additional charges to port users.
“Furthermore, the situation at the export terminal in Onne Port is equally alarming. Exporters are now confronted with additional charges and bureaucratic bottlenecks, which significantly discourage exports and run counter to the national agenda of boosting non-oil exports. These inefficiencies and rising costs not only impede business operations but also risk driving exporters to neighbouring ports in other West African countries,” he said.
However, he said the suspension will ensure uniform policy implementation across all port terminals, especially where existing infrastructure like that at WACT already adequately addresses traffic flow and control, saying it will address the bottlenecks and extra charges associated with the export terminal at Onne, in order to encourage export activities and align with the FG’s trade facilitation policies.
“Involve stakeholders such as APFFLON, ANCLA, NAGAF, CCC, and SEREC in policy formulation and review processes, as collaboration remains the key to achieving sustainable port reforms.
“We firmly believe that your leadership will continue to uphold fairness, transparency, and national interest in all decisions relating to port operations. It is our hope that these matters will receive your urgent attention in order to protect the growth of our maritime sector and the wider economy,” he explained.
