Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has expressed concern over lengthy clearance times, transit checkpoints with unwarranted delays, harassment, exorbitant illegal fees and demands for bribes along the West African trade routes.

It said that more than 400 trade obstacles have been reported through Trade Obstacles Alert Mechanism (TOAM) along the the trade corridor.

The Executive Secretary of the council, Hon. Emmanuel Jime said on Friday that numerous studies conducted along the borders of West African nations had consistently highlighted the impediments faced by traders, particularly in border crossings and customs clearance processes.

He said at the sensitisation workshop held in collaboration with ECOWAS Commission on the awareness of creation for professional organisations and stakeholders in trade at the council’s conference hall that the trade barriers, which were so many, comprising lengthy clearance times, transit check- points with unwarranted delays, harassments, exorbitant illegal fees and demands for bribes, have far-reaching consequences.

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