Nigeria has lost 60 percent of its import cargo to neighbouring countries as a result of its unfriendly import policies, stakeholders in the industry have said.
The stakeholders made this known yesterday at the round table organized by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria, MARAN, in Lagos.
Speaking on the issue, National President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, NCMDLCA, Lucky Amiwero, said government’s policies has led to importers shipping their goods through neighbouring ports of Benin Republic, Togo and Cameroon.
Amiwero explained that” We have lost our trans-shipment and transit cargoes to ports of Benin, Togo and Cameroon.
He further said that such cargoes find their way into countries that do not have ports, like Niger Republic only to find their way back into the country.
He frowned at the present situation where everyone gets access into the ports on the pretence of being members of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, CRFFN.
He said these people who refers to themselves as freight forwarders, are causing image problem for clearing and forwarding profession.
