I n accordance with its statutory mandate in Sections 103 to 107 of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Act, 2023, the service has embarked on consultations with stakeholders on the review of licensing renewal fees for licensed customs agents by over 1,843 per cent.
The move is part of efforts to strengthen professionalism and regulatory efficiency in the freight forwarding sector in compliance with the ongoing reforms.
Also, NCS explained that licensed customs agents, who comply with the new licensing structure would enjoy access to premium facilitation measures, including faster processing timelines, improved engagement channels with Customs officers, and enhanced integration with the service’s upgraded digital platforms, saying that the compliancedriven incentive is designed to encourage adherence to professional standards while discouraging sharp practices.
Following the decision, Customs is proposing to raise agency’s operating license to N10 million from N515,000, bonded terminal rate from N600,000 to N20 million, ship chandling rate from N515,000 to N2 million, clearing licenses at N4 million, bonded terminal license, N10 million, ship chandler license, N1million.
Also, Curtis’s is proposing to increase bank bonds for clearing agents, bonded terminal and ship chandlers as clearing agency rate raised from N315,000 to N20 million, bonded terminal from N50, 000 to N500 million and ship chandlers from N315,000 to N2 million.
At a high-level stakeholders’ engagement with executives of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) and Customs Consultative Committee (CCC) at the NCS headquarters, Abuja, NSC explained that the licensing of customs agents remained a critical component in safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s cargo clearance process, stressing that the planned review was intended to reflect prevailing economic realities, including the value of exchange rates, address operational demands, and ensure that only agents who meet the service’s compliance, competence, and integrity requirements continue to operate within the system.
It said: “This initiative is aimed at promoting accountability, streamlining processes, and enhancing the quality of service delivery in the sector. The service emphasises that the review forms part of broader modernisation efforts targeted at repositioning the NCS to meet the evolving needs of international trade and border management.
“It is expected to create a more transparent, predictable, and efficient licensing regime that will ultimately benefit legitimate operators and the trading public. The new licensing structure is scheduled to take effect from January 2026, following the conclusion of stakeholders consultations.”
However, NCS reassures the stakeholders of its commitment to an inclusive process and notes that feedback from industry associations, individual operators and relevant government agencies would be carefully considered before the finalisation and implementation of the review. The service reiterates its dedication to fairness, transparency, and the promotion of a secure, competitive, and efficient trading environment in Nigeria.
However, a cross section of the practicing customs brokers who spoke on the proposed review were unsparing in their total rejection and condemnation of the proposal as they were unanimous in their belief that the move by Customs was not only ill- timed, ill- conceived but it was capable of sending many practitioners out of the business.
The customs brokers lamented the timing of the proposed hike when, according to them, they are still grappling with the challenges of multiple payment of charges and fees atvtge port. They pointed out the reintroduction of the four per cent fee on FOB on imported cargo, the high exchange rate and other taxes which they said are hurting the business.
They further claimed that the proposed hike will give a leeway to the money bags and the foreign multi- nationals to hijack the freight forwarding industry. the Deputy National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr Segun Musa, accused Customs of gradually turning the issue of licensing into cash and carry for the highest bidders.
He believed that obtaining customs license should be purely knowledgebased and not what should be procured with money. He said: “To me, I don’t think it’s a welcome development and I’m not subscribing to that when asked of his reaction to the proposed hike. The industry should be more of knowledge-driven and not cash-driven. I didn’t subscribe to it and definitely I won’t buy into it.
“The reality is not whether the current renewal fee is sustainable or not sustainable. Ordinarily, we don’t suppose as practitioners, we’re not supposed to pay for license. We’re supposed to be registered and licensed based on knowledge. “It should not be a commercialised thing. A customs licensing is not a commercialized venture, it is not a private venture for profit making.
They generate revenue for government. But ordinarily, we’re supposed to be registered and licensed based on knowledge to facilitate trade.” Also, a former National Secretary Generals of the Association of Nigerian Customs Licensed Agents(ANLCA, Alhaji Abdulaziz Mukaila was not less critical of the licensing renewal proposal.
He noted: “Where do they want us to get the money from? Do they want us to start to tax importers? the ANLCA Chieftain asked rhetorically. Are they giving us any subvention? “Now they are taking 4 percent cent on FOB on cargo. The Customs is giving way to the fraudsters they claimed they wanted to weed out with this hike because the fraudsters will get the license at any amount because they know what they want to do with the licence.
*Customs will only succeed in chasing out honest people out of the business, thus paving way to the dubious ones to take over. What are they trying to achieve?” The factional President of National Council of Managing Directors of Customs Licensed Agents (NCMDLCA), Mr Lucky Eyis Amiwero, also believed that the proposed hike in licensing fee was illtime at a time the Customs has just introduced 4 per cent Free-on-Board (FOB) on imported cargo.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
