Stakeholders at the round table meeting on the planned implementation of the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) have agreed on the ICTN benefits but differs on how it should be implemented.
The roundtable organised by the Maritime Association of Nigeria (MARAN) was to discuss the controversies surrounding the implementation ICTN.
While some are in support of the implementation plan by the government, listing its benefits, others are of the opinion that the scheme should be handled differently.
However, those against the planned government implementation reasoned that there is no law backing it and therefore it should not commence.
Speaking, Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Adewale Adeniyi, represented by the Coordinator of Zone A, NCS, Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) Charles Orbih, assured stakeholders that the costs associated with the ICTN would be offsetted by savings resulting from reduced delays, demurrage charges, and more efficient operations.
In the paper titled: “Proposed Cargo Tracking Note:A Second Look by Critical Stakeholders”, Adeniyi while addressing the issue of enabling law said that Section 28 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023 explicitly empowers the service to develop and maintain electronic systems for cargo tracking.
“This legal framework ensures proper authority for implementation while protecting stakeholder interests.
“The NCS envisions a measured, phased implementation approach. Throughout this process, we will maintain open dialogue with stakeholders, incorporating feedback and making necessary adjustments to ensure the system serves its intended purpose without creating undue burden,” he assured.
He cited international evidence from countries where similar schemes are in operation to support this claim.
Adeniyi disclosed that the NCS was actively working with stakeholders to establish a fee structure that balances system sustainability with business competitiveness.
Addressing concerns about bureaucracy and procedural complications, Adeniyi noted that the implementation strategy directly addresses these through system integration and process automation.
He emphasised that instead of creating additional procedures, ICTN wiould streamline existing ones by providing a single platform for information submission and verification.
He noted that the focus should not just be on adopting new technology, but on fundamentally improving the way maritime trade was conducted in Nigeria.
The CGC emphasised that the successful implementation of this initiative would make Nigerian ports more efficient, transparent, and competitive, thereby strengthening their role as gateways for international trade.
The service is ready to collaborate with stakeholders for the implementors to ensure that the International Cargo Tracking Note serves the national interest while simultaneously facilitating international trade.
“This initiative, re-introduced by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, offers concrete solutions to long-standing challenges in our ports.
“The benefits of ICTN implementation are substantial and far-reaching. The system significantly enhances security and risk management by providing information in advance about cargo, enabling better threat assessment and targeted inspections.
"This enhanced security framework has proven effective in reducing cargo loss and theft in countries that have implemented the system.
“Furthermore, ICTN’s integration with existing systems will create a seamless information flow between customs, and other stakeholders. This integration enables real-time cargo tracking, faster manifest verification, and automated risk assessment,'' he said.
The customs boss said these improvements directly translate to reduced dwell time, lower demurrage charges, and more predictable cargo delivery schedules for businesses.
He averred that evidence from other African nations supports these benefits, citing Nigeria’s next door neighbour, Ghana, as a prime example.
He thanked MARAN for organising the important roundtable discussion, praising the association for its commitment to promoting informed dialogue within the Nigerian maritime industry.
Also, Mr Pius Akutah, Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), explained that ICTN was a cargo facilitation programme that involved the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Nigeria Customs Service.
Akutah represented by the NSC Director Consumer Affairs, Celestine Akujobi, emphasised that the NSC aimed to minimise costs associated with ICTN, as it was not intended to generate revenue.
He noted that Africa Shippers Councils were advised by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to monitor cargo movement.
Based on that some African countries started the implementation.
Similarly, the National President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, NDLCA, Lucky Amiwero, disputed claims that the ICTN was a UNCTAD-backed initiative.
He argued that it lacks formal convention or rule status and its implementation in Nigeria was not tied to any service.
“ICTN is not backed by law. It’s just to make money for a few people. It’s already subsumed in Customs law. It’s going to obstruct clearance of goods, and not tied to any service,'' he said.
Also, Dr Eugene Nweke of Sea Empowerment and Research Center (SEREC), said that research revealed that 32 countries in Africa are implementing ICTN.
He added that there was the need for it be implementation in Nigeria to ensure checks and balances.
Also contribution, the Chairman of Widescope International Logistics, Dr Segun Musa, described ICTN as an intellectual fraud that would not fly.
He asserted that ICTN faced resistance in the aviation industry when he wrote International Air Transport Association, IOTA, which subsequently wrote to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, leading to its cancellation.
Musa insisted that ICTN was not necessary, as Customs already requests advance manifests, which expose concealment, and 100 per cent examination which could uncover any hidden goods.
ICTN is fraudulent, it is a combination of pre-shipment clearance and destination clearance and key industry players will not allow a selected group of businessmen to exploit government agencies and compromised stakeholders for personal gain,” he said.
Earlier, Godfrey Bivbere, President of MARAN, highlighted the importance of ICTN to Nigeria’s maritime sector and the national economy, expressing hope that the discussions will ultimately benefit Nigeria.
According to him, “Beyond the ability to collect and track cargo information, this system has the capacity to generate billions of naira in revenue for the Nigerian government, particularly in revenue areas currently being missed at our borders,” he said.
