The Sea Empowerment Research Centre (SEREC) has strongly condemned the shutdown of business operations at the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) Apapa office, describing the action as unprofessional, legally risky, and symptomatic of deeper regulatory shortcomings in Nigeria’s port governance framework.
In a position statement titled “On Professional Industrial Advocacy, Regulatory Accountability, and Sustainable Port Economy Governance in Nigeria”, signed by SEREC Head of Research Eugene Nweke, the group said the incident — carried out by members of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Western Zone — reflects a failure in structured stakeholder engagement and transparent dispute resolution mechanisms.
According to SEREC, the protest emerged in response to what ANLCA described as arbitrary and excessive increases in shipping line charges — a concern the centre acknowledged as legitimate given the inflationary pressures on trade costs. However, SEREC warned that physical shutdowns and street-style disruptions are inconsistent with modern maritime industry standards and carry significant legal, civil, and reputational risks for both practitioners and industry associations.
The centre emphasised that such confrontational actions inadvertently harm cargo owners, importers, and local businesses, diverting attention from the policy and regulatory failures that allow unchecked port cost escalation without effective oversight.
SEREC urged that industrial advocacy in the maritime sector should be rooted in structured engagement, data-driven negotiations, and institutional mechanisms, including regulatory complaints, arbitration, and coordinated stakeholder dialogues — reserving direct action as a last resort rather than a starting point.
January 13, 2026 — Source: ShippingPosition