In a petition dated June 27, 2026, and addressed to the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, the association alleged that the export consignments have remained stranded at the port for more than five months without being shipped, despite repeated efforts to secure their evacuation.
The petition, signed by the National President of NSAN, Dr. Jamilu Mohammed Goma, stated that the association had earlier written to Maersk Line Nigeria on June 15, 2026, demanding the immediate shipment of the affected cargoes. A copy of the complaint was also forwarded to the Public Complaints Department of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.
According to the association, no meaningful action has been taken by the shipping company to resolve the issue.
NSAN said the prolonged delay has had severe implications for exporters, particularly those dealing in agricultural produce and processed goods, many of which are highly perishable and have suffered significant deterioration while awaiting shipment.
The association noted that the situation has exposed exporters to mounting financial losses arising from declining product quality, breached supply agreements with international buyers, possible rejection of consignments at their destinations, and the loss of export earnings and much-needed foreign exchange.
It warned that beyond the immediate economic impact, the development could erode the confidence of overseas buyers in Nigerian products and damage the country's reputation in international trade.
“We wish to state unequivocally that any complaint, rejection, financial loss, or damages arising from the delayed shipment and deterioration of these cargoes should be borne entirely by Maersk Line Nigeria,” the association stated in the petition.
NSAN urged the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to launch a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the stranded cargoes and direct Maersk Line Nigeria to immediately evacuate and process the affected shipments.
The association also called on the Council to ensure that affected exporters are adequately compensated for losses incurred and to introduce stronger regulatory safeguards to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Copies of the petition were sent to key government agencies and stakeholders, including the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), and the Association of Nigerian Exporters (ANE).
The petition comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s non-oil export sector as part of its broader economic diversification strategy aimed at reducing dependence on crude oil revenues and boosting foreign exchange inflows.
Stakeholders have repeatedly stressed that efficient port operations and reliable shipping services are critical to achieving the country's export ambitions, warning that persistent logistics bottlenecks could discourage investment and weaken Nigeria's competitiveness in the global market.
Efforts to obtain comments from officials of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report, while Maersk Line Nigeria had yet to publicly respond to the allegations contained in the petition.