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Anthony Ufoh
The House of Representatives have come under strong opposition from licensed agents following the House Committee on Customs for its support for the proposed hike in agents’ licence fee by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The proposed hike, if passed into law, would see a jump from N515,000, which is the present fee, to N10 million for a new licence, and this follows with a rise from the previous N215,000 for renewal to a new amount of N4 million.
According to a report, the NCS has announced plans to review the licensing renewal fees for licensed customs agents, with a new structure set to take effect from January 2026. The service had announced that the decision was taken during a high-level stakeholders’ engagement with executives of various associations, including the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and the National Association of Government-Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), respectively.
Leke Abejide, the Chairman of the House Committee on Customs and Excise, while throwing his weight behind the proposed hike, just as he stated that there should be a revision, as most of the charges are outdated.
In an interview on Channels Television, Abejide said, “Before, it was called CEMA as of 1958, so most of these charges are as old as that CEMA.
“Now that the Act is in operation, everything has to change, and I believe those operators also understand. This is not a new thing; it is the reality on the ground, and it is not that anyone wants to discriminate, he said.
The National President of ANLCA, Mr Emenike Nwokeoji, however, faulted Abejide’s comments, describing them as unfortunate.
He said, “It’s unfortunate that such a comment is coming from a member of the ANLCA.”
Nwokeoji said. “Being a practising member of licensed agents, because we know he owns a company, for him to make such a comment on a job that is ordinary in every other clime is meant for indigene is very unfortunate.”
Nwokeoji also questioned Abejide’s assertion that licensed agents handle jobs worth between N10bn to N20bn, asking,
He said. “How much is the license for an importer who owns the cargo?” He emphasised that the World Customs Organisation stipulates the means and ways of licensing customs brokers all over the world, and that Abejide’s comments were his own opinion.
The proposed fee hike has sparked concerns among stakeholders, who fear that it may fuel inflation and negatively impact the maritime sector. The ANLCA has called on the NCS to reconsider the proposed hike, citing the potential impact on licensed agents and the industry as a whole.
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