Blue Economy: Freight forwarders raise alarm over sabotage of govt reforms

By Providence Ayanfeoluwa

Following what is perceived as agenda to sabotage government reforms in the Marine and Blue Economy sectors, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, has called for the deregistration of four associations and requested the withdrawal of their Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, certificates for national interest.

NAGAFF said it carefully observed with enduring patience, recent actions by  Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents,  ANLCA;  Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria,  AREFF;  National Association of Air Freight Forwarders and Consolidators,  NAFFAC; and  National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents,  NCMDLCA, since the appointment of the current Registrar of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, CRFFN, Mr. Kingsley Igwe. 

Recall that these groups have publicly aligned with a court judgment obtained by Mr. Lucky Amiwero of NCMDLCA in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/765/2018, claiming that CRFFN lacks the authority to regulate customs agents and collect Practitioner Operating Fee, POF, even when the CRFFN has appealed and filed a stay of execution, rendering the ruling unenforceable.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos, National President, NAGAFF, Chief Tochukwu Ezisi, said those who no longer believe in CRFFN’s mandate should exit the stage, adding that the government should investigate the economic and regulatory sabotage being carried out under the guise of activism.

Igwe said: “These groups have often failed in their statutory financial obligations to CRFFN. ANLCA and NCMDLCA must align their identities with the new Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Act 2023.

“We recommend that CRFFN consider the deregistration of these four associations and request the withdrawal of their CAC certificates in national interest.

“Despite these distractions, NAGAFF remains proud of the performance of the current Registrar. Under one year, he has shown exceptional leadership, including: expanding CRFFN’s funding beyond POF to improve financial sustainability; commenced the training of one thousand freight forwarders in 2025, a capacity-building initiative which has seen a successful training of 300 freight forwarders already; and driving digital modernization and stakeholder collaboration to strengthen CRFFN’s regulatory role.

“We hereby pass a vote of absolute confidence on the leadership of the CRFFN Registrar/CEO under the supervision of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola,” he stated.

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