APFFLON Raises Alarm Over Delays in GTBank Customs Payments, Seeks FG’s Intervention
The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has raised an alarm over persistent delays in the processing and confirmation of customs duty payments through GTBank, warning that Nigerian importers are being exposed to mounting demurrage and avoidable financial losses.
The association’s National President, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, said in a press statement on Monday that the situation requires the immediate attention of the Federal Government, particularly the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, the Nigerian Ports Authority and the banking sector.
According to APFFLON, an importer who has legitimately generated and paid customs duty should not suffer additional financial liabilities because of delays in the banking or payment-confirmation process.
“An importer’s profit should not be consumed by demurrage arising from a payment process that is beyond his control. This is no longer just a banking inconvenience; it is becoming a serious trade-facilitation and port-efficiency issue,” Ogunojemite stated.
The association is particularly concerned that while the Federal Government and the Nigeria Customs Service are introducing reforms aimed at reducing cargo clearance time, improving port efficiency and lowering the cost of doing business, delays in payment confirmation could effectively reverse those gains.
“Every additional day a cargo remains uncleared exposes the importer to demurrage, storage charges, terminal expenses, interest on borrowed funds and other accumulating costs. In many cases, the entire expected profit from a transaction can be wiped out before the importer is able to take delivery of the goods.
“APFFLON therefore calls on the Federal Ministry of Finance to urgently convene the relevant agencies and financial institutions to resolve the problem and establish a reliable mechanism for immediate confirmation of customs payments,” the statement read.
The association called for real-time confirmation of customs duty payments and an emergency escalation channel for payments that are not immediately reflected. It also demanded a system that prevents importers from incurring demurrage where evidence of payment exists, clear responsibility for delays occurring within the payment and confirmation chain, and an inter-agency monitoring mechanism to ensure that payment-related delays do not undermine ongoing port reforms.
APFFLON also appealed to terminal operators and shipping companies to exercise restraint and give appropriate consideration where delays are demonstrably caused by payment-processing or government-system issues beyond the importer’s control.
The association said it strongly believes that trade facilitation must begin from the point of payment and end with the prompt release of cargo. It described it as contradictory to seek shorter cargo dwell time while legitimate importers continue to lose valuable days waiting for payment confirmations.
“The Federal Government is making genuine efforts to improve the ports and reduce clearance time. We do not want administrative or banking bottlenecks to sabotage those efforts. If this situation is not addressed urgently, demurrage will consume the working capital and profits of Nigerian importers, while the country loses revenue and businesses lose confidence,” the association stated.
APFFLON urged the Federal Government to treat the matter as an emergency trade-facilitation issue and not merely a banking complaint, insisting that government reforms must protect businesses from avoidable losses.
It maintained that an importer who has paid customs duty should not be punished financially because the system failed to confirm the payment on time.
The association said it remains ready to work with the Federal Government, Customs, financial institutions and all port stakeholders to find an immediate and sustainable solution.
