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The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has backed the Nigeria Customs Service’s ongoing reconciliation of outstanding transire transactions, but urged the Service to conclude the exercise swiftly to minimise disruption to legitimate trade.
The Association’s position followed a directive by the NCS ordering the immediate suspension of transire processing for affected bonded warehouses and Free Trade Zones with outstanding transire reconciliation.
The directive, issued amid a verification and reconciliation exercise by the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Special Task Force on Transires, is intended to resolve outstanding duty and transire positions before further transactions are allowed.
Reacting to the development, APFFLON National President, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, said the Association supports stronger accountability and control within the customs system, particularly where such measures protect government revenue and strengthen trade compliance.
He, however, stressed that the exercise should be transparent, time-bound and concluded without unnecessary disruption to compliant businesses and freight forwarders.
“We support reconciliation and accountability, but the process must not unnecessarily paralyse legitimate trade.
“Where discrepancies are established, those responsible should be made to account, while compliant operators should not suffer indefinite operational restrictions,” the APFFLON National President said.
Ogunojemite also called for sustained communication between the Customs task force and affected bonded warehouses, terminal operators, Free Trade Zones and licensed customs agents throughout the reconciliation process.
According to him, prolonged suspension could have wider implications for cargo movement and supply chains, particularly through additional storage charges and demurrage that may ultimately increase the cost of doing business.
He urged the Special Task Force and affected operators to work collaboratively to resolve outstanding discrepancies, with transire privileges restored immediately after satisfactory reconciliation and clearance.
APFFLON maintained that a properly managed reconciliation exercise could strengthen customs controls while preserving the efficiency required for legitimate cargo movement and trade facilitation.
The Association therefore urged all affected operators to cooperate with the verification process, while calling on the Customs Service to ensure that cases are resolved promptly and compliant operators are not subjected to prolonged operational restrictions.
