The Chairman, Onne Seaport Chapter of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Comrade Chief Emeka Nwosu has lauded the National Leadership of his association for its crucial role in making sure that the Nigeria Customs Service reverse to the old licensing and renewal fees, thereby making customs agents in the frieght forwarding sub-sector heave a sigh of relief.
Recall that the Nigeria Customs Service had in 2025 proposed a major review of licensing charges with the cost of obtaining a new licence rising from N515,000 to N10 million, while renewal fees were to increase from N215,000 to N4 million annually.
The proposal generated serious concerns among operators who feared it would strain businesses and potentially reduce participation within the freight forwarding profession.
In view of this, a stakeholders committee comprising of Accredited Freight Forwarding Associations, NCMDLCA inclusive was set up to engage and dialogue with customs management to resolve the controversy being generated by the proposed increase in licensing fee.
PLATFORM REPORTERS gathered that during the stakeholders meeting led by retired Comptroller Lewis Ogunjemite and headed by the National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANCLA), Mr Emenike Nwokeojii, the associations leadership enumerated cogent reasons that made Customs Management change their mind.
After the meeting, customs leadership announced it’s decision to drop the proposed increment and maintain the old prices of issuing new licenses and renewing old ones.
Responding to this development, Chief Nwosu in a felicitation message sent to the National leadership of NCMDLCA on Thursday in Onne, Port Harcourt commended the Chairman BOT, the National President and the entire national executive of the Council for their tenacious fight in making customs reason with agents to abort the proposed increase in customs licensing and renewal fees.
Chief Emeka Nwosu, Chairman, Onne Seaport Chapter of NCMDLCA
According to the felicitation message, a copy of which was made available to PLATFORMS REPORTERS, and read partly as follows:
“The Chairman, Executives and entire members of National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Onne Chapter, heartily felicitate with the National President, Chairman Board of Trustees and the entire National leadership of our great Council for their pivotal roles in ensuring that the Nigeria Customs Service reversed to the old licensing and renewal fees.
“Your high-powered engagement and dialogue with the management of the Nigeria Customs Service has yielded positive results for our members and all customs agents in Nigeria.
“Posterity will remember you all for good for showing genuine concern to the plight of customs agents in Nigeria and being good representatives of your members.
“The Chairman and the Exco of Onne Seaport Chapter of our great Council are happy with this development. We commend you and pray the Almighty God to continue to guide you and give you the wisdom to steer our industry to greater heights. Amen”, Chief Nwosu stated.
Chief Emeka Nwosu, Chairman, Onne Seaport Chapter of NCMDLCA
Meanwhile, PLATFORM REPORTERS learnt there was jubilation amongst freight forwarders and licensed customs agents in Nigeria when the news of customs reversal to old operating fees broke in Lagos on Tuesday with many commending the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi for listening and yielding to the pleas of agents while others thumb up their association leaderships for fruitful engagement with customs.
Industry obervers hope that this is a long time resolution and that customs management won’t hit agents with increase in licensing fees in the coming one or two years time.
