There appears to be palpable tension among freight forwarding practitioners in the nation’s maritime sector over the tax implementation that kicked off on Thursday, January 1, 2026.
Some agents explained that some shipping lines have already started holding meetings over possible fare increases.
Starting January 1, 2026, the Federal Government will implement a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s tax system. These reforms are among the most significant in decades and aim to simplify taxation, promote growth, expand compliance, and ease burdens on low-income earners.
The reform is part of a broader fiscal policy designed by the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu to modernise the tax system, enhance revenue collection efficiency, and improve Nigeria’s economic competitiveness. The implementation date of January 1, 2026, was reaffirmed by the government despite some political controversy over legislative documentation.
Speaking on the implementation of the tax reforms in the nation’s maritime industry, the Head of Department, Shipping, Air and Terminal Logistics at the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, Mr Ugochukwu Nnadi, said that two different shipping companies met on Tuesday.
“They are meeting with plans to increase their freight charges because they wouldn’t like to be caught unawares. Nobody wants to be caught unawares. They haven’t implemented the law, and they have already started manipulating it, so nobody would want to be caught unawares. They are making preparations about it,” Nnadi said.
The PUNCH
