… Lufthansa, ET, BA, Air France, Turkish major culprits
The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has accused several international airlines of sabotaging trade facilitation efforts in Nigeria by refusing to transmit cargo manifests to the Nigeria Customs Service’s (NCS) B’Odogwu digital platform.
In a fiery statement released Friday, October 10, 2025, and signed by its National President, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, APFFLON described the actions of some international carriers as “a deliberate act of sabotage” that has paralysed cargo clearance at major airports across the country — notably the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
“The uncooperative stance of these airlines has crippled the smooth clearance of goods, caused excessive delays, and resulted in massive demurrage and storage charges for freight forwarders, importers, and logistics stakeholders operating through the Abuja and Lagos airports”, Ogunojemite stated.
The association named Lufthansa, Ethiopian Airlines, British Airways, Air France, and Turkish Airlines as key offenders, accusing them of persistently withholding cargo manifests from the NCS’s automated platform despite several appeals from both freight forwarders and Customs officials.
According to Ogunojemite, the B’Odogwu platform was specifically developed to automate manifest transmission and boost transparency and speed in cargo processing. However, the alleged non-compliance by these airlines has rendered the platform “ineffective in some key airports”, leaving consignments stranded and importers financially bruised.
“Importers are being forced to pay exorbitant demurrage and warehouse fees for delays that are entirely not their fault”, Ogunojemite lamented.
“Cargo terminals at the Abuja airport are now overcrowded, while importers and freight agents are left helpless due to the airlines’ failure to transmit data that Customs officers need for assessment and clearance”.
The group warned that the continued disruption “could further damage Nigeria’s reputation as a trade hub” and severely undermine government efforts to improve the ease of doing business at ports and airports.
To address the crisis, APFFLON issued a three-pronged demand:
1. Immediate intervention by the NCS, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to enforce full compliance by all airlines.
2. Sanctions or suspension of cargo operations for non-compliant airlines.
3. A stakeholders’ roundtable involving Customs, airlines, handling companies, and freight forwarders to tackle technical and administrative barriers.
They also called for compensation or demurrage waivers for freight agents and importers affected by the backlog.
“No single entity should be allowed to sabotage the progress made in Customs automation and the ease of doing business,” Ogunojemite stressed.
“The suffering of Nigerian importers and freight agents at the Abuja Airport must not continue unchecked”.
He urged regulators and the media to treat the matter as one of “national economic importance”, emphasising that trade facilitation cannot succeed in a system where key players ignore statutory obligations.
Reaffirming APFFLON’s mission, Ogunojemite concluded: “We remain committed to promoting transparency, professionalism, and efficiency within Nigeria’s freight forwarding and logistics sector.
“We will continue to speak out against any practices that frustrate trade and hinder economic growth”.