Customs Engages Licensed Bonded Terminal Operators in Imo, Abia

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

In a bid to boost trade, the acting Customs Area Controller (CAC) in charge of Imo/Abia Area Command, Ms Happiness Ikpi-Ebri, has held talks with licensed bonded terminal operators in the two states.

The customs officer, a deputy comptroller, engaged them on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at the command headquarters in Owerri, Imo State.

She disclosed that the meeting was to address challenges facing licensed bonded terminal operators and boost trade at bonded terminals within the Command.

The programme, according to a statement by the Command Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs Nnamdi Aligwekwe, was designed to enlighten terminal operators and vital trade industry stakeholders to reduce bottlenecks affecting their operations.

Ms Ikpi-Ebri stated that the purpose of the meeting was “to know their challenges and address them to boost trade facilitation and improve revenue generation. We will do our best to ensure your terminals function optimally.”

The Acting CAC also expressed her willingness to collaborate with critical stakeholders to find lasting solutions to operational challenges and boost large-scale cargo operations, including containers, transit and staging yards, and clearance processing.

The command further pledged to leverage the power of the media to educate traders in Imo and Abia states who are not aware of the bonded terminals operating in the area, in a bid to help attract more traders within the command’s operational jurisdiction to utilise the facilities.

Earlier in the engagement, the terminal operators congratulated the Acting CAC on her appointment and pledged to support her vision for the Command. They shared their challenges and expressed willingness to collaborate with the command to find lasting solutions to trade impediments.

The meeting ended with a renewed commitment to sustained engagement and partnership for improved trade facilitation and revenue generation in the command.