shippingposition
  • Home
  • News
  • Editorial
    • Vox Pop
  • Maritime safety
  • Oil and Gas
  • Personality
  • Health
No Result
View All Result
shippingposition

Home » Corruption And The Nigerian Port System

Corruption And The Nigerian Port System

by Joshua
October 11, 2015
in Editorial

The Nigerian port system comprises of a web of suppliers and users of shipping services on one side and suppliers and users of ancillary services on the other. Spread across this winding and complex web are players such as: Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA),Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS), and its service providers, shipping agents, Standards Organisation of Nigeria,(SON), National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, (NAFDAC), terminal operators, service providers (including scanning)  importers (big and small), licensed customs agents, dockworkers, truck owners, drivers and motor boys.

It is difficult to ascertain the identity of those who perpetuate fraud in the port system, because the chain of importation is long; hence it can only be situated within the chain; that is, from the point an importer opens his ‘Form M’ to when the goods are actually procured and packaged and freighted into Nigeria as an import and up to the point at which it is cleared from the port and delivered to the consignee.

In analysing the phenomenon called corruption in the port system, a lot of people tend to pin it down on stakeholders in the Nigerian port system, but that is an incorrect judgment.
Our findings have revealed that corruption is (in most cases) engineered from the point at which a consignment is procured. A situation when an importer defies import guidelines and import prohibition orders of the federal government makes the consignment and its importer susceptible. By implication, the licensed customs agent inherits the liability.
To ensure that the (offending) consignment is cleared out of the port, he (the clearing agent) begins to define ways and this means being at the mercy of officials of government agencies, notably Customs officers.

The notoriety and high rating which the Nigeria Customs Service enjoys on the corruption scale is not to say that other players are angels; virtually all the actors whom we have identified above are involved at one level or the other in making the port system what it is.
Stakeholders always rush to label customs personnel as the most corrupt, but as much as we do not want to draw a corruption perception table, we will like to look at them one after the other.

The first thing that happens once a ship comes into the harbours is that officials of government agencies; notably, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency  go on board. Curiously, they board empty handed and disembark with loads of goodies including foreign currencies, drinks and other assorted items. That is the first act of corruption.
From that point, the terminal operator takes over and moves the consignments to designated storage facilities, while the importer or his licensed customs agents begins the process of taking delivery. From this moment, he is at the mercy of the container handler operator at the terminal, the Customs officer (and sometimes, the dockworker) at the terminal. If he is lucky and the container is not problematic, it may not be necessary to open his container for full examination; if this is so, he moves to the gate and still contends with a horde of agencies including, NPA Security personnel, the Police and the Customs and who must again, vet the documents before the container exits.

We also think that the various anti-corruption committees in the port and the in-house committees within the agencies have not done enough. With no exemption, we dare say that the many corruption monitoring units (including the ones being promoted by the Customs) only exist on paper.

The recent allegation by some freight forwarding associations to the effect that they were tired of giving bribes to Customs officers was nit unfounded, going by the scenario that we have described above.

It is a known fact that some officers pay their ways to stay-put in ‘juicy commands’. So any system that allows some well-connected officers to rotate between commands such as Lagos seaports and airport to Seme, Onne, Idiroko can only breed corruption.

While it is true that some officers have never worked outside the Customs headquarters, it is also true that some have also never worked in any commands, except the seaport.
The attraction for these officers is the port system that encourages corruption.


Related Posts

Clearing Agents Allege Foot-Dragging Of Appointment Of Substantive Registrar By Governing Council Of CRFFN    

Let the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria Breathe

July 14, 2025
Nigeria, China Currency Swap Deal: A Baggage Of Failed Promises

Nigeria, China Currency Swap Deal: A Baggage Of Failed Promises

July 7, 2025
How NIMASA’s Inactions Cost Nigerian Seafarers Oppurtunities On Board Foreign Ships – Expert

For The Sake Of Nigerian Seafarers

June 30, 2025
Disunity ‘Killing’ Maritime Journalists

Disunity ‘Killing’ Maritime Journalists

June 24, 2025

Discussion about this post

Latest News

Aliko Dangote Submits Paperwork To Build Nigeria’s Largest Seaport In Ogun

Nigeria Ramps Up Campaign for IMO Category C Seat, Showcases Maritime, Aviation Potential on Global Stage

July 15, 2025

WCO Chairmanship: Afam Chukwuma Hails Adeniyi’s Appointment as Major Boost for Nigeria’s Customs and Economy

Aliko Dangote Submits Paperwork To Build Nigeria’s Largest Seaport In Ogun

Nigeria Customs Boss Extols Late Buhari’s Legacy Of Discipline

Vessels Expected At Lagos Ports As At 14th July, 2025

Duty-Free, But Not Trouble-Free: Mixed Reactions Trail UK’s Trade Window For Nigerian Exports

At Last, Lekki-Epe Corridor Stakeholders Agree On August 1st Enforcement Date For E-Call-Up 

Nigeria Losing Billions To Boat Importation As Indigenous Operators Urge Local Shipbuilding Drive

Court Ruling Against CRFFN’s Regulatory Powers Tears Customs Brokers Apart   

Oyetola Reaffirms Commitment to Logistics Reform, Commissions Zenith Carex HQ

Let the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria Breathe

MONDAY INTERVIEW: “70% of the crew of Ocean Dragon are Nigerians”— Mrs Bernadine Eloka 

kindly like our Facebook page

Health

The Usefulness Of Watermelon Seeds You May Not Know
Health

The Usefulness Of Watermelon Seeds You May Not Know

July 14, 2025

Watermelon is one fruit that’s hard to resist when it gets too hot. It’s sweet and is high in water...

KNOW YOUR BODY PARTS: THE HEART

KNOW YOUR BODY PARTS: THE HEART

June 30, 2025
Why Your Favourite Seasoning Cubes May Be Hurting Your Kidneys

Why Your Favourite Seasoning Cubes May Be Hurting Your Kidneys

June 30, 2025
Contraceptive Pills Can’t Cause Cervical Cancer – Expert

Contraceptive Pills Can’t Cause Cervical Cancer – Expert

June 30, 2025
ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

KNOW YOUR BODY PARTS: The Liver

June 16, 2025
ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

June 16, 2025
Why Prostate Disorder Cases Are Increasing Among Nigerian Men – Experts

Why Prostate Disorder Cases Are Increasing Among Nigerian Men – Experts

June 1, 2025
20m Nigerians Live With Mental Health Issues, Says WHO

20m Nigerians Live With Mental Health Issues, Says WHO

June 1, 2025
Health Facts You Didn’t Know

How Your Habit Affects Fertility

May 19, 2025
Fruits For Raining Season

Fruits For Raining Season

May 19, 2025

© 2021 Shippingposition

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Coast To Coast
  • Oil and Gas
  • Maritime Education
  • The Terminals
  • Maritime safety

© 2021 Shippingposition