–By Aisha Abubakar Saleh
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Nigeria has called for collaboration with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) in an effort to aid trade facilitation in Africa.
Segun Olugboyegun, who is the Chairman of ICC Global Customs and Trade Commission, made the call when he led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the headquarters of Nigerian Shippers’ Council in Lagos recently. Olugboyegun also stated that ICC desires a strong partnership with Nigeria Shippers’ Council since the Council has been known or affirmed for the promotion and facilitation of trade in the Nigerian maritime sector.
In her presentation on “ICC Global Customs and Trade Facilitation Commission”, the Executive Secretary of ICC Nigeria, Mrs. Olubunmi Osuntuyi, disclosed that ICC has been championing the adoption of digitalized customs’ processes, while emphasizing on the need for industry engagement on emerging policy issues within the World Customs Organisation (WCO) in areas such as circular economy and data transfers in regional trade.
According to her, ICC requires the involvement of Nigerian Shippers Council in their capacity building programmes, adding further that the Council had participated in some of their programmes in the past.
Another member of the ICC delegation, Mr. Olu Vincent, commended Nigerian Shippers’ Council for the pivotal role that it has always played in trade facilitation in the maritime sector in Nigeria and beyond. He further called on the council to extend its policy of synergy to other institutions such as banks for the promotion of trade on the African continent.
Responding, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NSC, Barr. Emmanuel Jime, said that Nigerian Shippers’ Council has always promoted seamless trade by carrying out or facilitating corporate and commercial activities that are beneficial to both shippers in Nigerian at large and in other parts of Africa.
Barr. Jime maintained that Nigerian Shippers Council recognizes the importance of International Commercial terms (INCOTERMS), such as Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF), among others, which Nigeria has adopted for export products.
Just recently, the Council sought synergy with Airfreight Stakeholders’ Forum to achieve the common goal of promoting seamless trade and creating an enabling environment for businesses in Nigeria and beyond, even as Jime had recently assured the President of Airfreight Stakeholders’ Forum, Toyin Onifade, when he led members of his organization on a courtesy visit to the NSC boss.