An alleged intention by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to demolish their secretariats has alarmed cargo agents working at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos. They have described the move as illegal, provocative, and a violation of long-standing agreements. The agents have petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and other security agencies and stakeholders regarding the development under the auspices of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), the Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics (APFFLON), and the National Association of Freight Forwarders and Consolidators (NAFFAC).The demonstration coincided with FAAN’s proposal to apply a revised cargo fee to all of its airports countrywide starting on Monday, February 2, 2026. The agents have vehemently opposed the proposed increase in the cargo charge from N7 per kilogramme to N25 per kilogramme under the new regime. According to the groups, the planned demolition of their secretariats is linked to their unwillingness to accept the proposed rate hike, which they claim breaches the recommended procedures of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).ICAO norms dictate that any increase in costs or levies in the aviation industry must be preceded by stakeholder discussions, with the majority of impacted parties agreeing to the increased charges before implementation. In a letter titled “Immediate Notice to Quit MMA Premises,” dated January 27, 2026, and signed by the Airport Manager and Regional General Manager (Southwest), FAAN, Olatokunbo Arewa, the authority directed the associations to vacate the premises they currently occupy, warning that enforcement would follow without further notice if they failed to comply.The letter referenced an earlier notification reportedly issued on April 30, 2025.”The authority directed that you vacate the premises currently occupied by you,” the letter stated in part. You have not followed the instructions. Accordingly, by this notice, you are compelled to remove the specified premises with immediate effect, failing which the authority shall proceed to enforce compliance without further notice.” However, the cargo agents say that their occupation of the property is genuine and based on agreements struck with FAAN roughly 15 years ago. They contended that the secretariats were given to them by the authority on the condition that a permanent cargo village be established prior to any transfer or eviction.
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