See Reasons Nigeria Customs Gives Two-Week Ultimatum for Clearance of Overtime Vehicles and Containers
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has issued a two-week deadline for the owners of overtime containers and vehicles at various ports in Lagos to clear their goods or face an auction. The move follows a public notice published in The PUNCH, which emphasized that after the expiration of the grace period, any unclaimed cargo will be sold off as per the NCS Act of 2023.
The NCS revealed that 512 containers are currently occupying space at Lagos ports, including Apapa, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal, and Tincan Island Ports. In the announcement, the service explained that the auction process will begin once the two-week deadline passes, starting from the publication date of the notice.
The NCS clarified that this action is in accordance with the NCS Act 2023, following a court ruling (Exparte Motion, File Number FHC/L/MISC/8262024) on November 28, 2024, allowing the service to dispose of the overtime cargoes. The public notice urged importers and their agents to clear the goods within the stipulated time or forfeit them to the Federal Government.
This move comes months after the Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, formed a committee in September 2023 to oversee the disposal of long-overdue cargoes. The committee was tasked with addressing port congestion and accelerating the clearance of goods.
The newly amended NCS Act, which received approval earlier this year, provides the legal framework for clearing overtime containers. According to Adeniyi, the reduction of congestion at ports and the facilitation of smoother trade remain a top priority for both the NCS and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. The Act stipulates that all overtime goods must be auctioned or tendered publicly, with wide dissemination through national newspapers, TV, and the NCS’s official website.
Commenting on the new auction policy, Durowaiye Ayodele, General Manager at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), expressed relief over the decision to clear over 7,000 containers that had been stranded at ports for years. Ayodele emphasized the positive impact of removing these long-stagnant goods on port operations.
Reacting to the NCS’s announcement, Stanley Ezenga, Secretary-General of the Western Zone of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, praised the initiative. He noted that once cargo exceeds six to eight days in the port, it is considered overtime, and containers held for over three months become subject to forfeiture. Ezenga also commended the Customs Service for its transparent approach in publicly notifying stakeholders before initiating the auction.
However, some stakeholders, including Taiwo Fatobilola, National Public Relations Officer for the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria, expressed concerns over the short notice. Fatobilola argued that the two-week grace period may not be sufficient for importers who have been unable to clear their goods due to financial constraints or fluctuating exchange rates. He suggested that Customs should consider offering duty reductions or rebates to help ease the clearance process, pointing out that many importers struggle to pay high duties amid a volatile exchange rate.
Despite these concerns, the NCS appears firm in its decision to move forward with the auction process, urging importers and agents to act promptly to avoid losing their goods.
