By David Akinmola
A fresh wave of detention orders issued by multiple security and regulatory agencies has deepened gridlock across Lagos port terminals, with more than 6,386 import containers now stranded and incurring an estimated ₦472.5 million in daily demurrage, a situation stakeholders warn is threatening the competitiveness of Nigeria’s seaports.
Unlike previous concerns centred solely on clearance delays, port operators now argue that the rising volume of agency-imposed restrictions has evolved into a systemic bottleneck slowing cargo evacuation, inflating logistics costs and undermining government efforts to improve trade facilitation.
At a workshop organised in Lagos by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Maritime Command, operators described the growing detentions as “unsustainable” and “structurally damaging” to port efficiency.
Nnanna Kenneth of Five Star Logistics revealed that the majority of the blocked units stem from overlapping directives issued by different government formations. According to him, the Maritime Police alone has restricted about 2,000 containers, followed by the Nigeria Customs Service with 1,500, and the Department of State Services with 801. Others include NAFDAC (1,162), NDLEA (639) and the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (284).
Kenneth explained that a single agency letter can immobilise up to 20 containers linked to one bill of lading, compounding congestion and sparking disputes between terminal operators and clearing agents.
Industry players say the situation is undermining Nigeria’s ambition to operate ports with world-class turnaround times. Deputy Manager, Imports at Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), Dimeji Gbadebo, noted that while ports like Singapore clear cargo within 24 hours and neighbouring Lomé within seven days—Nigeria still struggles to complete clearance in three weeks.
He attributed this to frequent “stop letters,” prolonged investigations by the Maritime Police, and opaque inter-agency processes that leave cargo trapped for weeks without updates.
“The financial and operational strain on importers is enormous,” he said, warning that demurrage charges—currently ₦120,000 daily for a 40-foot container and ₦80,000 for a 20-foot risk pushing many businesses into distress.
The Executive Secretary of the NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, represented by Director of Regulatory Services, Margaret Ogbonnah, said council investigations confirmed repeated instances where police formations issued detention instructions without clearance from higher command.
He stressed that uncoordinated enforcement actions erode confidence in the port system, urging security agencies to align operations with national trade facilitation objectives.
Stakeholders at the forum called for a harmonised protocol for cargo-related investigations, clearer communication channels among agencies, and strict timelines for detention reviews to prevent the ports from becoming “holding bays for abandoned cargo.”
They warned that if the detentions persist at this scale, Nigeria risks worsening port congestion, further cost escalation and a shift of cargo traffic to competing ports in the sub-region.
