Numerous containers are currently stuck at the Apapa and Tin-Can Ports due to ongoing disruptions in the online services of several Nigerian commercial banks, which are upgrading their electronic banking portals.
According to the National President of the Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON), Mr. Frank Ogunojemite, many import units of containers remain uncleared because their clearance documents are trapped in some banks experiencing network migration issues.
Ogunojemite explained that once an agent captures a job in a bank, they cannot move the job to another bank, even if the first bank’s network is down. This has led to containers accumulating rent, storage, and demurrage charges while waiting for the banking issues to be resolved.
The APFFLON National President called for a “compensatory law” that would grant importers waivers when delays to their cargoes inside the ports are not their fault. He argued that the government should take action to prevent the cost of goods from skyrocketing due to these delays.
Ogunojemite also noted that several banks, including Unity Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), and Zenith Bank, have faced network disruptions while migrating their systems to higher versions. He expressed concern about the potential impact of First Bank’s upcoming migration on cargo clearance.
Haulage operators have also been affected by the banking migrations, with many struggling to pick up containers from the ports due to delayed fund transfers from clearing agents. Chief Remi Ogungbemi, Chairman of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), reported that some truckers have lost customers and that cargoes have spent extra days in the ports as a result of these issues.
As the banking sector continues to upgrade its systems, the cargo clearance chain faces ongoing challenges that could lead to higher prices for goods in the Nigerian market.