By Efe Onodjae
Following disclosure by Federal Government that agencies under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy generated N1.83 trillion in 2025, importers and licensed customs agents have lamented the increasing pressure on businesses in the maritime sector to meet rising revenue targets, saying the gains are not matched by corresponding improvements in port infrastructure.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, had revealed that the money generated in 2025 represented a 160 per cent increase from the N700.79 billion recorded in 2023, and attributed the rise to regulatory reforms, stronger revenue assurance, digitisation and efforts to close financial leakages.
However, importers who spoke to Vanguard at the weekend raised concerns about the aggressive revenue targets imposed on the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, saying they are being transferred to them through repeated cargo stoppages and unofficial payments.
Speaking to Vanguard, South-West Chairman of the Importers Association of Nigeria, IMAN, Mr. Joseph Ajoku, warned that government’s drive to continuously increase revenue should not translate into additional costs for importers or undermine the ease of doing business at the country’s ports.
He said: “When they set targets, they will let go and devise a list of extorting money from the importers. They know what they are doing, and that is why it is not very good for the importers. From here to here, they collect money; from here to here, they collect money. Even when they stop containers randomly, the people paying all these things are the importers.”
Ajoku also questioned the source of the reported increase in maritime revenue, arguing that importers ultimately bear much of the financial burden associated with cargo clearance and port operations.
“The money they are generating is at the detriment of the importers. Which other way are they generating this money? It is from the importers,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, NCMDLCA, Mr Lucky Amiwero, questioned federal government’s decision to borrow funds for port development despite the substantial revenue generated by maritime agencies.
Amiwero, reacting to the ministry’s three-year scorecard, argued that a significant portion of the N1.83 trillion generated from the sector should be reinvested in upgrading and modernising the nation’s ports.
He queried why the government would seek external financing for port rehabilitation when the maritime sector was generating such substantial revenue.
He said: “Why are you borrowing money if you have generated N1.83 trillion? Why are you going to borrow money from the UK to develop the port? If that money is there, they should use that money to develop the port. You don’t need to borrow money.”
Amiwero said the government should provide an account of how the revenue generated by maritime agencies had been utilised, particularly in relation to port infrastructure.
“What have they used that money to do? They should tell us what they have used the money to do. What is it? Is it the building of roads or what? Are they buying new trains or what are they doing?” he queried.
He maintained that the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, and other maritime agencies should have sufficient internally generated resources to support port development rather than depending heavily on borrowed funds.
The customs agents’ leader also questioned the role of port concessionaires, noting that major Nigerian ports had been concessioned since 2006.
“The ports are supposed to be used for the money they collect to develop the ports, not to go and borrow money,” he said.
Amiwero insisted that the reported revenue growth should translate into visible infrastructure development, urging the government to account for the funds already generated before seeking additional financing.
He said the issue should go beyond political claims and focus on how revenue from the maritime sector was being reinvested to improve port infrastructure and strengthen Nigeria’s trade system.
“It’s not just this political talk and the country is going down,” he said.
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