Customs Agents Petition Presidency Over Cargo Tracking Note, Allege Extortion and Legal Violations

The National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) has strongly opposed the proposed implementation of the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN), arguing that it lacks legal backing and serves no practical purpose.

In a petition addressed to President Bola Tinubu, NCMDLCA President, Mr. Lucky Amiwero, described the ICTN as an unnecessary burden on importers, warning that any fees imposed under its framework would amount to extortion.

Amiwero recalled that the ICTN was initially slated for implementation 15 years ago but was later suspended due to its exorbitant costs and the potential disruptions it posed to cargo clearance processes.

The petition further highlighted that in 2016, the Federal Government set up a Technical Committee comprising the Nigerian Shippers Council, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), the Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN), and NCMDLCA to evaluate stakeholders’ concerns regarding the ICTN.

Despite this, Amiwero insists that the current push for ICTN reimplementation is flawed, stating:

> “The International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) is not backed by law and will create an additional procedural bottleneck, further complicating Nigeria’s already cumbersome port operations.”

NCMDLCA argues that the ICTN contradicts Article 6 of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), which regulates fees and charges tied to import and export activities. The petition also cites Section 28(1)-(4) of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Act, which mandates the NCS as the lead agency for handling cargo tracking and electronic trade facilitation systems.

Amiwero emphasized that no other government agency is legally authorized to implement an electronic cargo tracking system, warning that:

> “Deploying any electronic system under the ICTN framework would violate existing laws, escalate costs, duplicate processes, and create additional barriers to trade.”

NCMDLCA has urged President Tinubu to intervene and halt the implementation of the ICTN, stressing that its reintroduction would impose unjustifiable financial burdens on importers while complicating trade procedures.

With concerns over rising port inefficiencies, regulatory conflicts, and increased trade costs, the fate of the ICTN now rests on the Federal Government’s next course of action.