The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has emphasised that its new International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) will play a crucial role in safeguarding Nigeria from drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and other contraband that fuel insecurity. The executive secretary of the council, Dr Pius Akutah, made this statement on Wednesday through Mrs Rebecca Adamu, the head of public relations, in Lagos.
ICTN is a proposal by NSC to ensure the traceability of goods across international waters borders because ICTN assigns a unique identification number to each shipment and, therefore, a tool to enhance trade globally.
Akutah stated that the council condemned the recent increase in arms and drug importation and called for total support from all.
He mentioned that awareness became necessary to inform stakeholders that the new ICTN was not intended to stifle trade but to support the Federal Government’s Agenda for economic and security initiatives.
The council leader stated that the additional regulatory mechanism synergises with customs systems to enhance compliance, risk assessment, and trade efficiency.
He emphasised that fully embracing the implementation of the ICTN remains crucial for the benefit of the economy, Nigerians, and, most importantly, for driving growth in the Marine and Blue Economy.
Akutah stated, “This leads to faster clearance times, reduces congestion at ports, and lowers demurrage costs for traders.
“ICTN ensures accurate cargo valuation, preventing revenue loss due to false declarations while blocking financial leakage caused by incorrect customs duties, levies, and tariffs.”
“Furthermore, many countries worldwide, including advanced economies, have successfully deployed ICTN for effective cargo monitoring and trade regulation. \n”It is imperative to state that Nigeria’s adoption of ICTN aligns with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and international maritime security standards,” he said.
