CLEARING AGENTS STRANDED AT BMS TERMINAL, STAGE PROTEST AGAINST POOR SERVICE DELIVERY
By Mcanthony Onuoha
Clearing Agents, on Friday 31st of June, 2026, blamed Bargain Marine Solutions Limited (BMS) popularly known as GMT Terminal located at Tedi Town, Ojo, Lagos for gross inefficiency.
A good number of freight forwarders embarked on a peaceful protest to register their displeasure over the inability of the BMS management to bring containers allocated to their terminal in real time.
In his speech, one of the protesters, Fwdr Thaddeus Adikaibe, described the situation as grossly appalling and roundly unacceptable. He lamented that continued delay by the management of BMS Limited to bring designated containers to their terminal had overtime resulted in heavy financial burden on the shoulders of their clients.
He vehemently berated the terminal operator for operational lapses which he said had continued to result in erratic service delivery.
In his words, ” for a very long time now, we have been battling with poor service delivery by BMS Limited popularly known as GMT Terminal, here in Tedi, Ojo, Lagos.
Time without number, we have had series of meetings but to no avail. No action, no solution, no hope. We do not know how long this erratic service delivery would keep consuming our time and draining our pockets and that of our clients. We pay transport to come here every week day, even on Saturdays, still same news. How can we clear containers we have not seen?”
“Each time a vessel carrying our consignments arrives, and we go to Maersk Line to inquire of the movement of our containers, and they say BMS Terminal, sometimes it takes more than a month before the containers are brought to the terminal. And when you ask, they say that the problem is either from Maesk Line or APMT, that if we want to know the cause of the delay we should go to the two companies for inquiries and confirmation. If containers are allocated to BMS, it should be the duty of the terminal operator to bring the containers to the terminal for us to take delivery of our consignments. And because of this unnecessary delay, Customs block our Bills of Laden, meaning that the owners of the containers are not ready to clear them. How can you clear a container that you have not seen. So we are embarking on this peaceful protest today to express our displeasure over this continued inefficiency that has kept resulting in unnecessary waste of time and resources on our part. And we want to unequivocally call on BMS Management, to shut down if they are not ready for efficient terminal operation in an era where the federal government and the Comptroller General of Customs are emphatic about Ease of Doing Business.”
“We are crying out loud so that the Nigeria Customs Service, Shipping Companies, Terminal Operators and Importers can hear our voice, we are ready to deliver quality service to our clients but factors as this have been creating bottlenecks, pitching us against our importers and clients who keep doubting our efficiency and knowledge of the profession. Sometimes they tell us that we are not serious with our work. That is why we are voicing out for them to know the challenges we are facing. We are not lazy, we are ready to work but we can not take delivery of containers we have not seen.”
“We have complained time without number, have had series of meetings to no avail. Some time ago we had meetings with terminal operators and Customs on this issue of delay in bringing containers to designated terminals. As l am talking to you, l have about three containers, for over one month now, they have not gotten to the terminal but the vessel was confirmed to had arrived Lagos about a month ago. My importer was here the other day to confirm if what l was telling him about the arrival of the containers was true because at a point he became doubtful of what l was telling him. I directed him to the management and they told him the same thing but assured they would transfer the containers any time soon. And l ask, how soon ?”
“Since the situation seems to have gotten out of hands, we decided to embark on a peaceful protest to register our displeasure. I can not believe that a vessel would sail from China to Lagos for about 30 days, and it takes over a month for the consignments to get to their designated terminals. It is amazing and roundly unacceptable to say the least,” Adikaibe stated.
Some of the placards read :
” We can no longer condone this unruly behaviours by the Management of BMS Bonded Terminal towards agents, CRFFN take note. National Council of Managing Directors of Licenced Clearing Agents take note!”
” To BMS: Agents are saying no to this extortion and multiple charges and demurrage.”
” BMS are frustrating business in Nigeria by delaying transfer of containers for their selfish gains”.
” Enough is Enough from BMS Management. If you people are not ready to work, you shut down or government should withdraw your operating license, period!”
” Valuation Unit has refused to return to status quo since after our meeting. We need response, enough is enough! ”
Efforts made by The Prestige Magazine Crew to reach the Public Relations Department to hear their own side of the story before filing this report proved abortive.
