Shippers Council targets increased revenue, efficiency with cargo tracking

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) is gearing up for bigger revenue and enhanced productivity in 2025 with the introduction of the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) in the second quarter of the year.

This move is expected to tighten oversight on cargo movements and significantly increase transparency.

Pius Akutah, executive secretary of the NSC revealed that the ICTN, alongside the proposed one per cent freight stabilization fee, would provide the financial backbone for the Council’s 2025 budget.

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He noted that this is part of broader plans to transition the NSC into the Nigerian Shipping and Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), which would elevate its regulatory role within the maritime industry.

“Our budget is strategically anchored on the freight stabilisation fee, which has been part of our law since 1978. This is not a new cost but a necessary implementation to drive innovation and efficiency,” Akutah said at the Council’s 2025 Management Retreat in Ibadan.

Under the guidance of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the NSC plans to use the ICTN to enhance revenue collection, optimise operations, and improve cargo tracking, ensuring compliance and reducing illicit activities.

The council’s roadmap also focuses on stakeholder collaboration, regulatory transparency, and sustainability, with Akutah emphasising the need for inclusivity and collaboration to achieve these goals. “Let us seize this opportunity to shape a future of innovation, excellence, and progress,” he urged.