WorldStage– Freight forwarders at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) have faulted the increase in cargo charge from N7 to N20 per kilogramme, a 185.7% increase, while expressing readiness to dialogue with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria over the charge.
The position was revealed during a quadripartite press conference by freight forwarding associations on Wednesday in Lagos.
The associations include the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANCLA) and the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF).
Others are the Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwards and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) and the National Association of Freight Forwarders and Consolidators (NAFFAC).
ANLCA President, Mr Temitope Akindele, faulted the increase, describing it as unacceptable.
Akindele said the hike exceeded the Federal Government’s 25 per cent benchmark for reviewing levies and charges.
He described the new tariff as multiple taxation, noting that similar charges were already collected by cargo handlers and airlines on FAAN’s behalf.
“FAAN concessioned cargo handling. It is illegal for the authority to collect cargo charges directly from freight forwarders,” Akindele said.
He recalled that the N7 charge followed the 2010 demolition of a N150 million agents’ secretariat, with an agreement to establish a cargo village.
“The N7 is attached to the land given to us. Any increase should involve stakeholders through negotiation,” he said.
Akindele urged the Federal Government and the Minister of Aviation, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN), to convene a roundtable discussion with FAAN and stakeholders.
He added that agents were ready to resume full operations after dialogue, recalling that FAAN generated over N1 billion from cargo charges in 2010 alone.
NAGAFF Deputy President, Dr Segun Musa, warned that the tariff hike was unfriendly to business and could hurt the economy.
“What we pay is like rent. FAAN cannot charge people it does not directly provide services to,” Musa said.
He said concessioned facilities should be managed through concessionaires, urging FAAN to engage stakeholders to improve cargo volume and revenue.
Musa appealed to the minister to intervene, stressing that agents preferred dialogue, not confrontation, and nationwide cargo operations should continue.
FAAN plans to review cargo charges in February, following more than a decade without an increment.
