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By Steve Agbota
The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has advised the Federal Government to halt the contract renewal with Webb Fontaine, the official technology partner for the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). The contract with the firm expires in December 2022. Webb Fontaine is the manager of Customs digital platforms responsible for the provision of IT and telecom infrastructure for Nigeria and encompasses the delivery of Customs management system nationwide via the Nigeria Customs Integrated System (NICIS II).
In a petition to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of APFFLON, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, explained that the inefficiencies of Webb Fontaine has led to consistent server failures at the nation’s seaports amounting to huge economic loss both to the citizenry and the government.
According to him, Nigerian importers, freight forwarders and the nation’s entire maritime sector would have a breath of fresh air without Webb Fontaine, because the services of the company have been an economic sabotage to the nation.
Ogunojemite added that the company’s 16-year management of Customs portal has been characterized by consistent server breakdowns, which either connote gross inefficiency or a nonchalant work culture by the organization.
“Since 2006, when the company began its technical support service for Customs, Nigerian importers have suffered colossal losses from downtime at every port and terminal in the nation.
This additional cost leads to higher prices for the imported goods (inflation), impoverishing Nigerians while the company suffers no losses.
