Drama in Nigeria’s House of Representatives as Minister Flags Flaws in Multibillion-Dollar Cargo Tracking Deal

Gboyega Oyetola, Nigeria’s Minister of Blue and Marine Economy, stirred mild drama in the House of Representatives on Monday by asserting that a multibillion-dollar cargo tracking deal signed by the federal government with the International Cargo Tracking Notes (ICTN) was flawed. This statement was made during a House subcommittee investigation into the delay in implementing the cargo tracking project—a delay that experts estimate is costing Nigeria $500 million monthly.

The hearing, led by the House Committee on Shipping Exercises, Customs, Port and Harbour, and Maritime Safety, Education, and Administration, aimed to understand why the contract has not been executed. Representing Oyetola was Babatunde Sule, a director from the Ministry, who pointed to procedural flaws in the contract approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

A consortium led by Antaser Nigeria Limited had been contracted by the former administration in March 2023 to implement a cargo tracking system for imports, exports, and crude oil shipments. However, Sahara Reporters revealed that some officials in the current administration may be attempting to replace the Antaser-led consortium with preferred investors, using Jobson Ewaleifoh, the new DG of the ICRC, to support the change under the guise of a PPP arrangement.

The federal government announced a contract in July to acquire advanced tracking technology for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, with Minister of State for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri, stating it would allow Nigeria to monitor each shipment of crude oil. Initially, Oyetola’s representative acknowledged FEC approval of the project but later argued the process was flawed. “The process was even faulty ab initio. The process that led to this was wrong,” he commented, drawing jeers from lawmakers. He clarified that “the process could have been better than the way it was handled.”

Parliamentarians expressed dissatisfaction with the representative’s responses, with committee member Kabir Maipalace questioning the Ministry’s commitment. “I don’t think you are capable enough to represent the minister; you don’t even have any information about the issue,” he remarked.

During the hearing, Frank Tietie, director of Citizens Advocacy for Social Justice in Nigeria (CASER), reminded the DG that the initial procurement process had been cancelled due to NGO and stakeholder concerns before being awarded to the Antaser consortium. Tietie highlighted that companies previously involved, such as Medtech Scientific Limited, were unrelated to the cargo tracking industry.

Emeka Obianozie, chairman of Antaser, provided a detailed presentation to the committee, stating that his company was authorized by the FEC to implement the project and that attempts to develop similar services at higher costs were ongoing within the Nigerian Customs Service and Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). He warned that “duplicating efforts would lead to unnecessary costs and compromise transparency, a core value of the scheme.”

The committee meeting began with a delay due to Oyetola’s absence, prompting MPs to take a one-hour break. Eventually, Oyetola’s representative was allowed to speak after some MPs intervened. The committee ultimately adjourned, with Chairman Mr. Dasuki stating that further meetings would be held to address key concerns raised by attendees.