Business

85% Of Imported Vehicles Vandalised, Agents Allege

Published

3 years ago

April 9, 2023

Editor

Clearing agents operating in the country’s maritime industry have said that 85 per cent of imported used vehicles were vandalised by both the shipping companies and terminal operators.

The agents, who spoke separately with The PUNCH in Lagos on Wednesday, said the worsening situation had led to massive job loss by practitioners, as most of their clients had stopped giving them jobs.

The Youth Leader of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, Tincan Island Chapter, Remilekun Saliu, told our correspondent that a lot of agents had been arrested and brutalised because of this issue.

“Many agents have been arrested and brutalised because of the issue of missing parts that were caused by the terminals/shipping companies. A lot of professionals have lost valuable importers as a result of these problems.”

Explaining further, he said that 85 per cent of vehicle keys and sensors brought into the country sometime in March by a vessel, Grande Cameroon, were stolen.

Saliu also said that the agents on several occasions had written several times to the management of the terminals and nothing had been done.

He said, “In Grande Lagos that just berthed on April 2, 70 per cent of the vehicles discharged have been vandalised. The majority of them do not have keys and the funniest part is that the clearing agents are the ones that bear the brunt.”

Also speaking, the Deputy National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, Ugochukwu Nnadi, said, “In Grimaldi what we have is not vandalism it is pilfering. They still have the keys, especially these exotic cars that are controlled by remote. So, it is actually happening.”

Another clearing agent who simply gave his name as Leke, said a Toyota Camry 2020 model that came into the country through Grande Cameroon had the complete sensor key stolen.

He said he had complained and nothing had yet been done about it.

“We are tired of the operation of Grimaldi on the issues of missing items. 70 per cent of vehicles in Grande Cameroon were all missing sensors. And on Grande Lagos, a lot of parts were also missing. The worst part is the importers failed to understand that it is not our fault. It is what the terminal delivers to us that we are going to deliver to them. We plead with the management of PTML terminals to beef up their security because we are losing importers on a daily basis.”

Reacting, the General Manager of PTML, Mr Tunde Keshinro, urged the agents to come up with the details of the affected vehicles, adding that it will be difficult for him to respond to mere allegations.

Business

Why We Sited Our Multi-Billion Naira Automobile Firm Branch in Benin – Skyewise Group CEO

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2026

Editor

Dr. Elvis Abuyere, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Skyewise Group, an automobile firm, has explained the reason for establishing a branch of the company in Benin City, the Edo State capital, describing the ancient city as “a growing economy full of enormous potential for vibrant youth.”

He added that the company considers Edo State one of the most interesting states, noting that the decision aligns with its long-term vision.

Abuyere, who spoke in Benin on Monday while taking journalists on a tour of the new automobile facility, said:
“We started very small — from Abuja to Lagos and now Benin. It is a joy and privilege for us to have completed this amazing regional office with Skyewise Group.”

According to him, beyond the automobile business, Skyewise Group is in Benin to invest in real estate, logistics, youth empowerment, and credit management. “Aand also to lend our support to what the Edo State Government is doing, knowing the fact that there is an agenda,” he added.

The young CEO urged youths in Nigeria, particularly those in Edo State, to embrace entrepreneurship, stressing that “we believe it is the future of Africa,” especially Nigeria.

He said Nigeria stands as the giant of Africa and that its youth must take bold steps in the entrepreneurship landscape.

According to Abuyere, to ensure Edo youths actualise their entrepreneurial potential, the company has prepared soft loans to help them start businesses, adding that Skyewise Group is not limited to automobile operations.

He said: “More importantly to us is youth empowerment. We want our youth to be empowered, and this is where the Skyewise Foundation comes in.

“We believe the future of Africa is entrepreneurship, and that future lies in the hands of the young people of Nigeria. We want to empower them to stand the test of time, build something meaningful, and reduce unemployment and insecurity in our land.

“I believe we need to begin taking bold steps by refining the mindset of our young people. We need to give them a sense of belonging and direction.

“We have been addressing the liquidity gap in society by providing microloans to support businesses in our environment and in Benin City.”

When asked why he chose Benin City for the multi-billion naira automobile firm, Abuyere noted: “I think this is the first automobile showroom in Edo State where you can see a car lifted from the ground floor to the first floor and beyond.”

Business

JUST IN: Nigerian Filling Stations Reduce Fuel Price After Hike

Published

3 days ago

May 2, 2026

Editor

Nigerian filling stations reduced their Premium Motor Spirit price on Saturday, barely 24 hours after the hike.

Checks by DAILY POST showed that Ranoil, Empire Energy, and other filling stations in Abuja adjusted their petrol pumps to N1,365 and N1,375 per litre respectively, down from N1,440 per litre on Friday.

This means that petroleum marketers dropped their fuel price by N65 and N75 per litre. DAILY POST reports that the move was to attract patronage from customers.

Recall that three days ago, Nigerian filling stations had raised their petrol pump price to between N1,365 and N1,440 nationwide after Dangote Refinery and depot owners increased ex-depot prices to around N1,275 and N1,290 per litre.

According to DAILY POST, while the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and MRS Bovas filling stations raised their petrol price to around N1,365 per litre, others adjusted theirs above N1,440 per litre.

However, with the latest fuel price reduction by Ranoil and Empire Energy, the majority of filling station outlets now dispense petrol between N1,365 and N1,375 per litre.

This development comes as the ripple effect of crude oil prices continues to impact Nigeria’s domestic fuel price.

Brent and West Texas Intermediate crude rose to $114 and $105 per barrel before dropping to $108 and $101 after the filing of this report.

Business

Dangote Refinery Hikes Petrol Price

Published

7 days ago

April 29, 2026

Editor

Dangote Refinery has increased the ex-depot price of petrol by N75.

The refinery announced the increase on Wednesday, hiking the the price from N1,200 to N1,275 per litre.
In the same way, coastal prices have gone up to N1,215 per litre.

This adjustment amid Brent crude trading at $114.80 per barrel marks a 3.15% increase.

DAILY POST reports that Brent crude has increased to $115 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate rose to $103 per barrel on Wednesday.