The Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) has announced plans to mandate registration for all port service providers and users who have not registered on the council’s online portal by the third quarter of 2024.
The announcement was made by the Executive Secretary of the NSC, Mr. Pius Akutah, represented by the Director of Consumer Affairs, Cajetan Agu, during a sensitization event with stakeholders in Lagos focused on the registration of regulated port service providers and users.
Akutah emphasized the critical nature of complying with the online registration requirements for all port service providers, aligning with the responsibilities outlined in Section 4 of the NCS’s regulation of 2015.
He noted that the registration initiative aims to create a comprehensive database of legitimate port service providers and users, supporting the ‘Knowing Your Customers’ policy.
The NSC leader also pointed out the shift from manual to automated payment systems within the council and highlighted the advantages of registering, such as access to essential information and the elimination of anonymous shippers.
He stressed that registration is compulsory and that failure to comply would result in significant penalties.
“The sanctions awaiting defaulters include withdrawal of NSC services and restrictions on port operations. Only 185 port service providers and users have registered so far,” Agu stated.
He urged stakeholders to familiarize themselves with the online registration process to avoid these penalties.
Agu expressed concern over the slower rate of registration among Nigerian service providers compared to their international counterparts.
“I want to urge stakeholders to swiftly register with the council to capitalise on the myriad of benefits associated with NSC registration,” he concluded.
