More than a year after the National Assembly public hearing on the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) in October 2024, stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime sector are raising serious alarm over what they describe as government inaction.
Industry leaders warn that without urgent implementation, the ICTN designed as a vital tool for enhancing cargo security, streamlining trade, and protecting revenue risks becoming “dead on arrival,” leaving Nigerian ports exposed to inefficiency, contraband, and unnecessary cost burdens for importers.
The ICTN, also referred to as the Advanced Cargo Tracking Note, is intended to pre-inform authorities about the arrival and contents of cargo, enabling proactive monitoring before customs clearance. When fully implemented, the system is expected to reduce smuggling, under-declaration, and procedural delays while safeguarding billions of naira in government revenue. Estimates suggest that Nigeria loses US$500 million annually due to non-implementation, translating to a potential US$2.5 billion over five years.
In a chat with our correspondent, Mr Babatunde Mukaila, former Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), said the delay reflects “the undercurrents that characterize government processes.”
He stressed that the ICTN could have been a reliable tool for intercepting illicit shipments, including tramadol and ammunition. “The ICTN would have stopped most people in their tracks,” Mukaila said. “But we are yet to see action. The focus seems to have shifted from security and trade efficiency to pecuniary interests, and this foot-dragging may not just be about who gets what. When they finally divide it on the table, a crisis could emerge.
“The ICTN has the potential to transform cargo monitoring in Nigeria,” Mukaila said, “but without political will and stakeholder buy-in, it risks becoming yet another paper promise, while Nigeria continues to lose billions in preventable revenue.”
Similarly, Stanley Ezenga, a chieftain of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), criticised the ICTN for being potentially redundant. “The information provided by ICTN is already captured in manifests and bureau records,” he said.
“Introducing a separate tracking note could amount to double taxation, increasing financial burden on already-strained importers.”
Dr. Kayode Farinto, former acting President of ANLCA asserted that the ICTN could be “dead on arrival” under the current administration’s approach.
He explained that the government is seeking ways to avoid imposing excessive burdens on Nigerian shippers but warned that this may dilute the ICTN’s original purpose. “If implemented, costs should be embedded in freight charges rather than imposed as a separate requirement,” Farinto said, “otherwise the system risks being resisted by industry players.”
Checks by our correspondent revealed that the initial target for ICTN implementation was Q3 2024
Experts have argued that ICTN would provide a proactive mechanism to monitor cargo before arrival, replacing reactive post-clearance inspections that often fail to prevent smuggling and under-declaration.
Stakeholders warn that continued foot-dragging could undermine confidence in Nigeria’s port modernization efforts and complicate compliance for freight operators already grappling with high costs and bureaucratic bottlenecks.
