Published: November 7, 2025
Source: Daily Trend (Reworked by Sea Empowerment & Research Centre)
The Association of Port Freight Forwarders of Lagos and Nigeria (APFFLON) has raised alarm over the alleged sale of Export Trade Operations (ETO) call-up tickets in the black market for as high as ₦300,000, describing it as a threat to transparency in Nigeria’s maritime logistics process.
Rampant Ticket Resale Undermining Port Operations
According to reports monitored by Sea Empowerment & Research Centre (SEREC), the association accused unscrupulous individuals of hijacking the ETO ticketing process, acquiring official call-up slots meant for legitimate freight operators, and reselling them at inflated rates.
The move, APFFLON stated, has disrupted the fairness and credibility of the system, while also creating hardship for truckers and exporters who rely on the ETO platform for access to the ports.
“This act is fraudulent and unpatriotic. It undermines the purpose of the ETO system and must be stopped immediately,” the association declared.
A Call for Urgent Government Intervention
APFFLON has called on the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, and other relevant agencies to investigate and clamp down on the black-market network responsible for the illegal sale of tickets.
The association also urged government bodies to strengthen oversight and introduce digital verification systems to ensure that all ETO call-up tickets are traceable and cannot be duplicated or resold.
Why It Matters
- The black-market sale of call-up tickets increases operational costs for legitimate freight forwarders.
- It encourages corruption within the logistics chain, damaging Nigeria’s trade reputation.
- It delays cargo movement, further worsening port congestion.
- It discourages smaller operators from participating in trade logistics due to inflated access costs.
Restoring Integrity in Port Logistics
SEREC noted that the incident reflects a broader need for accountability and governance reform in Nigeria’s port operations.
The Centre emphasised that tackling corruption at the operational level is key to achieving the government’s Blue Economy goals and ensuring a transparent, efficient maritime sector.
“Maritime trade must operate on fairness and transparency,” SEREC added. “We stand with APFFLON in calling for decisive action against all forms of black-market exploitation in the nation’s ports.”
Source: Adapted from Daily Trend (November 7, 2025).
Rewritten and published by Sea Empowerment & Research Centre (SEREC).