There is disquiet at the nation’s ports in Lagos as the organised private sector (OPS) and freight forwarders have expressed concern over recent announcement by shipping giant, CMA CGM, to increase its local charges on Nigeria-bound consignments.

The increment is coming at a time the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) announced a 15-per cent hike in port charges.

The shippers said the new increment would impact negatively on the cost of doing business at the nation’s seaports and its competitiveness in the global market.

Local charges (abbreviated as LCC) are local fees incurred during the transportation of goods, usually related to services at ports or airports.

These fees are usually not included in the main freight rate and are charged separately to the customer.

CMA CGM, at the weekend, in a mail to importers announced the review of its local charges.

It said it followed the recent increase in Port and Marine charges by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), which came into effect on the 1st of March 2025.

CMA CGM said: “As a result of such adjustment, we find it necessary to update our tariff structure to account for the new cost environment, effective 10 March 2025.

“Under the review, a 20ft container will now be charged N145,327 while a 40ft container will attract N290,654. A 20ft Reefer container will attract N145,327 while a 40ft Reefer container will attract N290,654.”

Reacting to both adjustments, the Sea Empowerment Research Centre (SEREC) stated that the fresh hike will impact negatively on the competitiveness of Nigeria’s seaports.

SEREC in a statement, signed by its founder, Dr Eugene Nweke, expressed deep concern about the recent announcement by CMA CGM Nigeria to increase local charges which, it said, is largely influenced by the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA)’s adjustments to Port & Marine fees.

Nweke who is also a former National President of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), while giving a background, stated that the nation’s ports situation is alarming.

He attributed the infrastructural decay to the delayed implementation of the $700 million rehabilitation budget which he noted had exacerbating concerns.

He stated that SEREC has emphasised the need for a transparent project management system and a definitive rehabilitation project vision.

Some of the key recommendations made by SEREC, he said, include the commencement of the implementation of the approved rehabilitation budget to address pressing concerns such as congestion, poor berth production, and ship turnaround time.

It also recommended that NPA should address underlying issues, which include inadequate maintenance, insufficient investment, inefficient port operations, corruption, and bureaucratic inefficiencies.