Clearing agents in Nigeria’s maritime sector have expressed concern over what they describe as the growing dominance of foreign interests in the country’s freight forwarding business, warning that the trend could trigger xenophobic tensions if left unchecked.
Speaking with journalists in Lagos, former Acting President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Dr. Kayode Farinto, said the influx of foreign companies into the sector has become a disturbing reality requiring urgent government intervention.
Dr. Farinto lamented that despite existing legal provisions prohibiting foreigners from registering as customs brokers, some multinational companies have continued to exploit regulatory loopholes to operate freely at Nigerian seaports.
“This trend is real and dangerous,” he warned, citing Section 104(2) of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA), which expressly forbids the registration of foreigners as customs brokers.
The former ANLCA leader further alleged that foreign companies now dominate the handling of project cargo and have even established their own clearing departments—actions he described as a direct threat to indigenous operators.
“If this is not checked, it could undermine local participation and the economic survival of Nigerian practitioners in the maritime industry,” he said.
Dr. Farinto urged the Federal Government and relevant regulatory agencies to enforce existing laws and protect local professionals from being edged out of the nation’s maritime economy.
Reporting by John Obot