The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has cut the cargo port charge at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos to N15 per kilogram, easing weeks of tension between airport authorities and freight operators.

The new rate emerged from negotiations between FAAN officials and representatives of Customs Licensed Cargo Agents and other stakeholders in the air freight value chain. The talks were convened after strong resistance greeted an earlier proposal to raise the charge to N20 per kilogram from the long-standing N7 rate.

Industry operators had argued that a near-threefold increase would sharply raise logistics costs, undermine competitiveness and further strain an already fragile import and export environment. Their pushback led to disruptions in cargo processing, with some warehouses operating below capacity and others temporarily shut as parties awaited a resolution.

FAAN said the N15 tariff represents a middle ground between its infrastructure funding needs and the cost pressures facing operators. The previous N7 charge had been in place since 2008, a period in which the authority says operating costs, security requirements and maintenance obligations at Nigeria’s busiest airport have risen significantly.

At the stakeholders’ meeting where the compromise was reached, FAAN’s cargo directorate and industry representatives reviewed the financial implications of various pricing options, including the impact on airlines, freight forwarders, clearing agents and shippers. Participants also examined how the new rate would affect the broader supply chain, from importers and exporters to end consumers.

Following what FAAN described as constructive deliberations, both sides endorsed the N15 per kilogram charge as a workable solution that allows the authority to begin upgrading cargo facilities while avoiding a shock to operators’ cost structures.

The revised tariff is expected to restore normal cargo flows at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, reopen stalled warehouses and reduce delays in the clearance of goods. FAAN maintains that the adjustment is aligned with its broader goal of improving the ease of doing business at Nigerian airports, modernising cargo infrastructure and supporting sustainable growth in air freight.

Stakeholders will be watching how the new rate affects cargo volumes in the coming months, as well as whether FAAN delivers on promised improvements in efficiency, security and service quality at the Lagos gateway.