The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced that importers and agents of 905 overtime cargoes must clear their consignments within two weeks or face forfeiture to the Federal Government.

The consignments, currently at Apapa, Tin Can Island, and the Ports & Terminal Multipurpose Limited (PTML) commands, include hundreds of containers, vehicles, scrap metals, and other goods.

In a notice issued on Monday, Customs said the move is in line with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, which empowers it to dispose of goods that have overstayed beyond their allotted time at the ports.

What Customs plans to auction

The published list shows that out of the 905 consignments, 40ft containers make up 438 units, while 20ft containers account for 120 units.

Additionally, about 60 used vehicles of different makes and years, 60 groupage containers, and 15 shipments of scrap metal are among the items affected.

The Service explained that once the grace period expires, it will begin the process of auctioning the items following legal provisions.

Recurring battle against congestion

This latest auction plan comes barely 18 months after Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi inaugurated a Committee on Disposal of Overtime Cargoes to reduce congestion and improve efficiency at Nigerian ports.

The initiative is also tied to the government’s broader push for trade facilitation and faster cargo clearance.

Customs spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, said the items have varying values and importers are strongly encouraged to reclaim them before disposal.

“Even used vehicles of the same make and year can’t have the same value, because of the way they were used,” he noted.

Stakeholders point to harsh realities

Despite the Customs notice, industry experts argue that most importers are not willingly abandoning cargoes.

The Head of Research at Sea Empowerment and Research Centre, Mr. Eugene Nweke, said the root causes are economic:

“High exchange rate, high clearance cost, inadequate loan facility, poor purchasing power – these are the reasons people abandon their imports at the ports,” he explained.

Similarly, Mr. Stanley Ezenga, Secretary of the Western Zone of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), said systemic inefficiency is equally to blame.

“No importer will import goods and abandon his cargo. If the system is working and agents clear their goods promptly, there won’t be all these overtime cargoes,” Ezenga said.

Link to new Customs charges

The overtime cargo crisis has also been linked to the new 4% Free on Board (FOB) charge and rising agency fees recently introduced by the NCS.

Stakeholders say the charges, combined with inflation and high forex rates, have drastically raised the cost of clearing goods.

Industry watchers warn that if the government fails to review these policies, more containers will continue to be trapped in port terminals, fueling congestion, revenue losses, and business collapse for many importers.