By Amina Ojelabi
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime and trade sectors have called for greater professionalism, digital transformation and coordinated reforms to improve cargo movement and strengthen the competitiveness of the nation’s ports.
The call was made at the 72nd anniversary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), where stakeholders highlighted the critical role of customs brokers in trade facilitation, revenue protection and the efficiency of Nigeria’s supply chain.
Representing the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Commissioner for Commerce, Corporate Trade and Investment, Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, described ANLCA’s 72-year journey as a remarkable milestone. She noted that the association, established in 1954, had remained an important part of Nigeria’s customs and maritime ecosystem despite major changes in the country’s trade environment.
Sanwo-Olu said licensed customs agents play a critical role in helping businesses navigate processes involved in moving goods through ports, airports and borders. He stressed that professionalism and transparency in customs brokerage would help reduce delays, protect government revenue and improve traders’ confidence.
Group photographs of all attendees stakeholders of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents ANLCA at 72years Anniversary Celebration in Lagos.
The governor also highlighted the importance of port efficiency to Lagos and the wider Nigerian economy, noting that the state’s expanding maritime infrastructure, including the Lekki Deep Sea Port, provides opportunities to increase trade and connect Nigerian businesses to the wider African market.
He welcomed efforts by ANLCA and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to address congestion around the Apapa and Tin Can Island port corridors, stressing that port congestion increases business costs and delays the movement of goods.
Also speaking, the Chairperson of the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) and Executive Vice Chairman of ENL Consortium, Olori Vicky Haastrup, described licensed customs agents as indispensable partners in Nigeria’s port ecosystem.
Haastrup said terminal operators depend on customs agents to facilitate efficient cargo movement, stressing that professionalism, compliance and effective collaboration among stakeholders remain essential to improving port efficiency.
Olori Vicky Haastrup Chairperson of the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) and Executive Vice Chairman of ENL Consortium at the 72nd anniversary celebration of ANLCA in lagos
She urged stakeholders to focus on eliminating avoidable delays, improving transparency, embracing technology and promoting compliance to create a more competitive environment for legitimate trade.
Chairman Nigeria Revenue Service NRS Dr Zach Adedeji represented by Director National Single Window Project NSW Tola Fakolade giving his speech at the ANLCA 72nd Anniversary Celebration in Lagos
Fakolade noted that customs brokerage had evolved from largely manual processes to computerised systems, integrated platforms and data-driven risk management. He attributed ANLCA’s longevity partly to its ability to adapt to changing systems and continuously develop the capacity of its members.
He said trade remains a major driver of Nigeria’s economy, providing raw materials, machinery, consumer goods and food, while also supporting government revenue through customs duties and related levies.
The National President of ANLCA, Kingsley Emenike Nwokeoji, called for coordinated reforms to address congestion, cargo examination, access roads, truck movement, storage, demurrage, detention and multiple regulatory interventions.
National President Association of Nigerian Customs Licensed Agents ANLCA Emenike Nwokeoji giving his speech at the 72nd Anniversary celebration in lagos
Nwokeoji warned that unnecessary delays in cargo clearance increase the cost of doing business and ultimately affect consumers. He called for a coordinated port reform strategy that would measure all agencies, terminal operators and service providers against the objective of moving legitimate cargo efficiently and transparently.
He also welcomed the National Single Window initiative, describing it as a major opportunity to transform Nigeria’s international trade environment. However, he stressed that the system must genuinely simplify trade by reducing documentation, duplication, human intervention, transaction time and the cost of doing business.
The Chairman of the ANLCA Board of Trustees, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha, urged the Association to prepare for the future by becoming more professional, digital, knowledge-driven and compliant.
Mustapha called for greater investment in professional education, Customs automation, data-driven trade facilitation, research and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. He also urged stronger collaboration between ANLCA, the NCS, NPA, government agencies, terminal operators, shipping companies and other stakeholders.
The Chairman of the occasion and former ANLCA President, Chief Peter Okocha, commended the profession and urged members to recognise the importance of licensed customs agents to the nation’s trade system.
Vice President of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents ANLCA And Chairman Planning Committee of the Event Prince Segun Oduntan giving his speech at the 72nd anniversary celebration held in lagos
The ANLCA Vice President and Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Prince Segun Oduntan, called for unity among members, stressing the need for collective efforts to protect the Association’s interests and strengthen its capacity.
The anniversary featured the presentation of awards to notable stakeholders, including retired Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, Dera Nnadi; Queen Vicky Haastrup; and former ANLCA President, Ernest Elochukwu.
Other dignitaries at the event included the Deputy Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mojisola Meranda; Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, represented by the Tin Can Island Port Command Controller, Comptroller Joseph Anani; former ANLCA President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu; CRFFN Registrar, Kingsley Igwe; members of the ANLCA Board, royal fathers and other maritime stakeholders.
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