Fresh indications have emerged about the various means devised by the shipping companies operating at Nigerian ports to defraud Nigerian importers and clearing agents under various nomenclature.
A comprehensive analysis of shipping company charges in three African Countries: Nigeria, Ghana and Republic of Benin, showed that charges at Nigerian ports remained the highest, courtesy of shipping companies operating at Nigerian ports.
A document which was obtained by Shipping Position Daily showed that the average charges collected on a 20-foot container by shipping companies in Nigeria is about N140, 000.
According to the document, among the three neighboring countries, Nigeria is the only country that collects container deposits to the tune of N75, 000. Other charges not collected in other countries but obtainable in Nigeria includes; MOWCA levy and Stamp duty.
Apart from these, importers are made to also pay N26, 500 as Shipping Line Agency charge as against N7, 875 collected in Benin Republic and N17, 600 collected in Ghana. Also, N18, 000 is also collected on manifest amendment as against N2, 400 collected at Ghana port and N9, 450 collected at Cotonou port.
Others include: container clearing fees- N2, 000 as against N500 collected in Ghana and N945 collected in Cotonou port. Demurrage fees; first period N2,850 as against N1, 512 collected in Ghana, second period N3,000 as against N1,890 collected by Ghana and , third period 4,500 as against N1,890 in Ghana.
Also, contrary to what is obtainable in other west African countries, Nigeria only offers three days free of progressive storage charge while Benin, Ghana and Cote D'Ivoire offers seven days free of progressive storage charges.
Speaking with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos last week, Deputy President; Seaports and Shipping Companies at the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) Mr. Ugochukwu Nnadi said that the high charges is one of the main reasons why importers have abandoned Nigerian port for Cotonou and Ghana ports.
Also speaking with our correspondent, a freight forwarder at the APMT Terminal; Mr. Frank Aliakor said that in addition to the shipping charges, the terminal operators also come up to collect money for services not rendered.
According to him N18, 000 is collected for examination of containers and N12, 500 is collected for container scanning.
http://shippingposition.com.ng/article/revealed-how-shipping-companies-scam-nigerian-importersagents
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