Harboursandport.com: Lagos, Nigeria – June 5, 2026: Grimaldi Agency Nigeria has come under scrutiny following allegations of illegal container sales and breaches of Customs duty obligations, with industry stakeholders insisting the company must account for lost government revenue.
In a statement signed by Okey Ibeke, Principal Consultant at International Trade Advisory Services and Editor-in-Chief of Business and Maritime West Africa, Grimaldi’s recent defense was described as “commercial contract law versus Nigerian law,” stressing that contractual terms cannot override statutory provisions under the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS Act 2023.
Ibeke argued that claims by Grimaldi that containers were sold under “foreign Customs status” are invalid under Nigerian law. He noted that once containers are sold to Nigerian buyers, they must be converted to permanent imports, with duties paid before transfer of possession.
He further rebutted Grimaldi’s assertion that Customs duties are the responsibility of buyers, citing Section 245 of the NCS Act, which empowers Customs to demand duties from “any person who deals with goods liable to duty without payment.” According to him, Grimaldi, as the seller, remains liable for duties and penalties.
The statement also questioned Grimaldi’s delayed denial of reports that 2,500 containers were slated for sale, noting that the company only responded weeks after the allegations surfaced. “Even one container sold illegally constitutes a breach. The law does not recognize a de minimis exemption,” Ibeke stressed.
He raised concerns over whether Grimaldi submitted buyer details, involved Customs valuation officers, or conducted sales within bonded terminals as required by law. Allegations of dollar-denominated invoicing were also flagged as violations of NSC Regulations 2015 and CBN FX guidelines, which mandate local transactions in naira.
Ibeke maintained that global practices around Shipper-Owned Containers, SOC cannot justify bypassing Nigerian Customs laws, emphasizing that proper importation or re-export is required at destination ports.
Additional breaches highlighted include violations of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA terminal regulations, the Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC rules on local charges, and Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN restrictions on domiciliary accounts. He warned that Grimaldi could face penalties under Sections 248 and 249 of the NCS Act, including possible suspension of its operating license.
The statement demanded that Customs compel Grimaldi to produce a full list of containers sold in Nigeria since 2006, along with evidence of duty payments, release orders, and buyer details.
“Foreign Customs status is a fiction once possession changes hands in Nigeria. Duty obligations attach at the point of sale, not at the point of buyer’s conversion,” Ibeke concluded.
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