The longstanding rift between shipping companies and licensed customs agents has escalated once again as fresh allegations emerge over the worsening congestion triggered by the handling of empty containers at Nigerian ports.
The empty containers return controversy is gaining renewed attention within the maritime industry, where stakeholders accuse one another of shirking responsibility and causing costly disruptions to port logistics.
For several weeks, complaints have multiplied from customs agents and freight forwarders who insist that shipping lines routinely abandon empty containers across port corridors, thereby undermining operational efficiency and inflating transport costs.
On the other hand, shipping operators under the Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN) argue that importers themselves are often unwilling to return empty boxes due to the high cost of transportation.
The debate—marked by accusations, economic concerns, and regulatory lapses—is once again testing the government’s capacity to enforce compliance and maintain sanity within the nation’s maritime supply chain.
Growing Tensions Over Empty Containers Return
At the centre of the dispute is the contentious issue of empty containers return, which has become a recurring pain point in port operations.
Industry sources say the number of unreturned or abandoned containers has risen significantly, triggering fears of renewed congestion across major port access roads such as Apapa and Tin Can.
In an interview, a senior member of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, Riwan Amuni, expressed frustration over what he described as an avoidable failure of shipping companies to evacuate their containers.
He noted that the problem, once fueled by traffic gridlock on port access roads, now appears to be resurfacing even after road rehabilitation.
“We don’t even understand what is happening anymore. Congestion is creeping back because shipping companies are refusing to take back their empty containers,” Amuni lamented.
“If a vessel brings in 200 containers and goes back with only 150, the imbalance has consequences. We suspect deliberate conspiracy.”
According to him, the temporary relief achieved after the clearance of the chaotic traffic situation on Apapa-Oshodi and Ijora routes has faded.
Truck owners who benefited from the past gridlock, he alleged, also played a role in the current imbalance by manipulating prices and exploiting shippers.
Amuni further revealed that the cost of trucking has risen sharply, citing a recent instance where he paid N1.4m to move just two containers to Ijora.
He insisted that regulatory authorities, including shipping and terminal committees, must enforce immediate compliance and compel shipping lines to evacuate empty containers consistently.
Stakeholders Raise Alarm Over Rising Abandonment
Echoing similar concerns, Apapa Chapter Chairman of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, Abayomi Duyile, confirmed that the practice has persisted for years.
He accused shipping companies of intentionally abandoning empty units until they are ready to deploy them for export operations.
“This is not new,” Duyile noted.
“Shipping companies prefer to leave empty containers lying around because they intend to use them for export later. This has caused congestion and poses significant operational challenges.”
Industry researchers say the situation has deep economic implications.
Earlier this year, maritime analysts from the Sea Empowerment and Research Centre warned that Nigerian importers lose an estimated $500m annually due to exchange rate volatility and challenges linked to over 100,000 empty containers scattered across seaports.
According to Head of Research at SEREC, Eugene Nweke, between 65,000 and 100,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of abandoned containers currently litter various port terminals.
He warned that many of these containers are old, unsafe, and constitute environmental hazards.
Nweke, a former president of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, provided deeper insight into cost implications.
He noted that sending empty containers back to origin ports is capital-intensive, costing between $2,000 and $4,000 for a 20-foot container and $3,500 to $6,000 for a 40-foot container, depending on shipping route and global demand fluctuations.
Shipping Lines Defend Themselves, Shift Blame to Importers
Responding on behalf of shipping companies, SAN Chairman and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Boma Alabi, countered the claims by insisting that many importers willingly abandon empty containers rather than incur the high cost of returning them.
She explained that the cost of transport is often far higher than the container deposit importers must pay.
“The truth is that in many cases, it is cheaper for an importer to abandon a container deposit of about N100,000 than to spend over N500,000 transporting that container back to a terminal,” Alabi stated.
She argued that the responsibility of returning empty containers rests with importers, not shipping lines.
According to her, the reuse of containers for exports is a legitimate practice, but the fundamental issue is the economic disparity between deposit fees and trucking costs.
A Looming Crisis Unless Regulators Intervene
With conflicting narratives from shipping lines and customs agents, industry analysts warn that the dispute over empty containers return could worsen port congestion and compromise Nigeria’s competitiveness in international trade.
Stakeholders are urging government agencies to activate stricter enforcement, mandate proportional container evacuation by vessels, and streamline the cost structure that discourages importers from returning empty boxes.
Without urgent intervention, maritime experts fear that Nigeria could experience another wave of gridlock reminiscent of the notorious Apapa congestion crisis—one that strained commerce and cost billions in economic losses.
As the back-and-forth continues, the battle over responsibility for empty containers is quickly shaping up to be one of the biggest operational challenges facing Nigeria’s maritime sector.
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