FAAN, Customs agents deepen ties in air cargo ecosystem

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), through its Directorate of Cargo Development & Services (DCDS), has engaged the top 100 Licensed Customs Agents operating at the Pilgrims and Cargo Terminal (PCT), Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. The development was seen by participants as a significant and long-overdue step towards building a stronger relationship between the Authority and the customs brokerage community within the air cargo ecosystem.

The engagement, held in Lagos, provided a platform for direct interaction between FAAN/DCDS and some of the industry’s most active licensed customs agents on issues affecting cargo movement, operational efficiency, stakeholder relationships, training, compliance and the overall business environment at the airport.

Speaking during the engagement, representatives of the Licensed Customs Agents described the initiative as a major departure from the traditional relationship between the airport authority and customs brokers.

According to the participants, the engagement represented the first occasion in more than 30 years that they had been brought together in such a manner to engage directly with FAAN on their role, experiences and expectations within the air cargo ecosystem.

The agents expressed particular appreciation for the recognition of their contribution to the air cargo industry, noting that despite their critical role in facilitating cargo clearance and movement, they had often not felt sufficiently recognised as an important component of the airport cargo business ecosystem.

The engagement therefore provided an opportunity for the agents to openly share their experiences and identify areas where closer collaboration with FAAN could improve cargo processes, increasing throughput and the operating environment.

Discussions during the engagement covered a range of operational matters affecting the movement and clearance of cargo at the PCT. Participants also raised issues requiring attention across the wider cargo value chain, including matters involving relevant FAAN departments and other stakeholders.

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FAAN/DCDS acknowledged the issues raised and reiterated that the purpose of the engagement was not merely to listen to stakeholders but to establish a more structured and continuous channel through which operational concerns, stakeholder expectations and opportunities for improvement can be identified and addressed.

The Directorate also emphasised the importance of compliance, security, documentation, accountability and adherence to established procedures as essential elements of a modern and competitive air cargo ecosystem.

The engagement forms part of DCDS’s broader stakeholder-engagement strategy aimed at strengthening collaboration with businesses and institutions operating within Nigeria’s air cargo value chain.

The Directorate is increasingly positioning stakeholder engagement as an important component of cargo-sector development, recognising that the efficiency of an airport cargo ecosystem depends not only on infrastructure, but also on the quality of coordination among airlines, ground handlers, customs agents, government agencies, regulators, security agencies, freight forwarders and other stakeholders.

The meeting also reinforced the importance of clearly distinguishing between the respective responsibilities of FAAN and other agencies operating within the cargo environment. Issues requiring the intervention of other departments, agencies or stakeholders will therefore be channelled through the appropriate institutional mechanisms.

The engagement further provided an opportunity for DCDS to communicate its vision of a more efficient, secure, transparent and business-friendly cargo environment at the PCT—one in which stakeholders are recognised as partners in improving the system while remaining accountable for compliance with applicable laws, regulations and airport procedures.

The Directorate noted that the objective is to move from an essentially transactional relationship with cargo stakeholders towards a more structured partnership built around communication, accountability, service standards and measurable improvements.