The Nigerian Shippers’ Council says the approved 30 per cent tariff increase for shipping companies will not destabilise the economy, explaining that it is a ceiling rather than a fixed rate.
The Council met with shipping companies, freight forwarders, importers, and exporters, insisting on comprehensive stakeholder engagement before the implementation of the proposed tariff hike.
Speaking at a one-day stakeholders’ forum on the planned increment, the Executive Secretary of the Council, Mr Pius Akutah said the earlier suspension of the tariff implementation in March 2026 was a deliberate move to allow for broader consultations across the maritime value chain.
According to Akutah, “the implementation of the new tariff would only commence after shipping companies conclude engagements with importers, shippers, clearing agents and other critical stakeholders.”
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“Today’s engagement was productive. The suspension of the tariff implementation last month created room for us to interact with stakeholders and address key concerns,” Akutah explained.
“The 30 per cent increase is the upper limit; shipping companies may implement 10 or 20 per cent depending on the outcome of their consultations. It will be gradual,” he said.
Akutah emphasised that the adjustment would not come as a shock to the economy, noting that some shipping companies had already commenced consultations and partial implementation.
The Shippers’ council’s boss also disclosed that earlier tensions were partly linked to the actions of a particular operator.
Akutah further explained that while shipping companies had proposed increases ranging between 150 and 200 per cent, the Council settled for 30 per cent to strike a balance between industry sustainability and economic stability.
“Shipping companies argued that 30 per cent is too low given inflation and rising operational costs, but we determined it was sufficient to avoid overburdening the economy,” he said.