The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has expressed deep concern over the recent introduction of a call-up system and additional export terminal charges at the Onne Port in Rivers State, describing the move as counterproductive to the Federal Government’s ease of doing business and trade facilitation agenda.
In a letter addressed to the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the President of APFFLON, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, said the development has introduced avoidable costs to port users, despite the existence of infrastructure within the port that already ensures traffic orderliness and efficiency.
He noted that the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), which operates within Onne Port, already has a functioning system that effectively manages truck movement and terminal access without imposing additional charges. Ogunojemite described the introduction of a new call-up mechanism as “duplicative and commercially driven,” adding that it will further increase the cost of operations for freight forwarders, truckers, and exporters.
According to him, the situation contradicts the Federal Government’s continuous efforts to make Nigerian ports more competitive within the West African subregion. He argued that the imposition of extra costs and administrative bottlenecks through a poorly conceived call-up system only serves to frustrate port users and weaken investor confidence in the maritime sector.
Ogunojemite also drew attention to the growing challenges confronting exporters at the Onne Port export terminal, lamenting that new charges and layers of bureaucracy have emerged, making export operations increasingly expensive and cumbersome. He said the current system discourages non-oil exports, which are vital to Nigeria’s economic diversification drive, and risks pushing exporters to take their businesses to neighboring ports in Togo, Ghana, and Benin Republic.
“These inefficiencies and rising costs not only impede business operations but also risk driving exporters to neighboring ports in other West African countries,” he warned, stressing that such developments are contrary to the government’s objectives of boosting non-oil exports and simplifying trade procedures.
Ogunojemite urged the NPA to immediately suspend the new call-up system at Onne Port pending a comprehensive stakeholder consultation and cost-benefit analysis. He also called for uniformity in policy implementation across all port terminals, especially in cases where existing private infrastructure already provides efficient traffic management.
The APFFLON President emphasized that the authority must also address the bottlenecks and multiple charges currently plaguing export operations at Onne, noting that the issues have created uncertainty and frustration among port users. He maintained that any reform in the maritime sector must be driven by inclusiveness, transparency, and broad stakeholder engagement.
“We firmly believe that your leadership will continue to uphold fairness, transparency, and national interest in all decisions relating to port operations,” Ogunojemite stated, while calling on the NPA to involve key industry associations such as APFFLON, ANLCA, NAGAFF, CCC, and SEREC in future policy formulation and review processes.
He added that APFFLON remains open to dialogue and roundtable discussions with the NPA and other relevant agencies to develop workable, sustainable solutions that would enhance port efficiency without imposing undue hardship on operators.
The letter has drawn attention to the mounting discontent among freight forwarders over rising costs, inconsistent policies, and overlapping regulations at Nigerian ports — issues many say continue to undermine efficiency, increase logistics costs, and divert cargo to rival ports in the sub-region.
