At MARAN Roundtable, Stakeholders Tip Customs to Implement ICTN, Not Shippers Council

–As Customs Prioritises National Security Over Inter-agency Rivalry

By DAPO OLAWUNI

At the roundtable discussion organized by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) at its International Press Center in Apapa, Lagos, on Thursday, on the controversial reintroduction of the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN), maritime stakeholders have raised a strong consensus that the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) should be the primary agency responsible for its implementation and not the Nigerian Shippers Council as being pushed by the Federal Government.

Leading the debate, Mr Lucky Amiwero, President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) asserted that the ICTN, having been halted three times, requires a solid legal foundation.

He argued that the Nigerian Shippers Council lacks the legal mandate and international electronic device application capabilities to operate the system.

“I was a member of the committee on Customs Reforms and we stopped the ICTN back then, we asked them to tie it to a service.

“You cannot operate a system without a law, the Nigerian Shippers Council does not have electronic device application internationally, as far as their law is concerned, it is just for Shippers interest.

“The ICTN started with the Nigerian Ports Authority, but it was stopped by my committee then because it was not tied to any service, there is no law backing it.

“The Benin Republic ICTN was tied to their customs law, all other countries are also tied to customs laws
Everything about the ICTN has been subsumed in the Nigerian Customs Service Act” Amiwero stated.

He highlighted that the NCS Act already encompasses advanced cargo information, making it the logical agency for implementation.

Amiwero also raised concerns about existing multiple charges in the port system and the loss of freight components to neighboring countries due to the absence of a robust tracking system tied to services.

Speaking in the same vain, Dr Segun Musa, Managing Director of Widescope Nigeria Limited and National Vice President of NAGAFF, echoed Amiwero’s sentiments. He argued that the ICTN is unnecessary, given the NCS’s existing advanced manifest and physical examination capabilities.

“Cargo tracking is already covered by the Nigeria Customs Service using the advanced manifest system. If Customs says they lack the capacity to track cargo, then we should return to pre-shipment inspection,” Musa stated.

He criticized individuals lobbying for ICTN’s introduction, claiming they are only seeking personal financial benefits.

“We cannot allow a few people to enrich themselves at the expense of national security and trade facilitation,” he warned.

Meanwhile, the Zonal Coordinator ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service, Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) Charles Orbih emphasized the NCS’s commitment to national security and the importance of the ICTN in enhancing information flow and tracking illicit cargo.

“For the Nigeria Customs Service, security is paramount,” Orbih stated, highlighting recent seizures of arms and drugs facilitated by effective tracking.

He dismissed concerns about legal backing, citing Section 28 of the NCS Act 2023, and urged stakeholders to prioritize national security over cost implications.

He addressed concerns of cost and complexity, saying that international evidence suggests cost savings are offset by reduced delays and that complexity would be addressed by system integration.

When asked if the NCS would allow the Shippers Council to operate the ICTN, ACG Orbih stressed the importance of inter-agency collaboration, but maintained that the NCS is equipped to handle the task.

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Dr Pius Akutah Ukeyima who was represented by Mr Celestine Akujobi, Director of Consumer Affairs at the Council, clarified that the ICTN is not new to the council, having been operated and suspended in the past.

He emphasized that the council is ready to move forward, citing UNCTAD advisories and the successful implementation of the system in other African countries.
Akujobi addressed concerns about duplication, stating that previous implementations were done in collaboration with the NCS. He also assured that any cost implications would be minimal and absorbed.

Dr. Eugene Nweke, head of research at the Sea Empowerment and Research Center (SEREC), supported the implementation of the ICTN, arguing that it is essential for revenue generation and security.

He highlighted the need for Nigeria to sign container security initiatives and bring in competent consultants to ensure compliance.

Nweke also addressed cost concerns, stating that services rendered must have cost components, and that the ICTN could help checkmate excessive freight charges.

Dr. Mubarak Ibrahim Mahmoud of the Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN) Special Task Force, emphasized the need for a balance between national security and business interests.

He supported the ICTN as a trade facilitation tool, but stressed that it should not burden importers.

He called for the NCS to integrate the ICTN into its cargo clearance mechanism and leverage the National Single Window for efficient management.

Speaking earlier in his welcome address, the President of MARAN, Godfrey Bivbere noted that the ICTN is not just a concept or an idea, but that it is a transformative automated system that has the potential to revolutionize the way cargoes entering into Nigeria are monitored.

“Through the ICTN, we can determine the type and volume of cargo imported into our seaports within specific time frames. Beyond the ability to collect and track cargo information, this system has the capacity to generate billions of naira in revenue for the Nigerian government, particularly in revenue areas currently being missed at our borders.

“But there’s more—this system will also help us to monitor the exact quantity of daily crude oil exports, a critical matter for Africa’s largest oil-producing nation. In doing so, it will significantly help in curbing the menace of oil theft that has plagued our nation for years.

“This is why the ICTN is not just a tool; it is a lifeline for tackling some of the critical challenges facing our maritime industry and the Nigerian economy at large” he said

The roundtable concluded with a strong recommendation for the NCS to take the lead in implementing the ICTN, with stakeholders emphasizing the need for legal backing, inter-agency collaboration, and a focus on national security and trade facilitation.