Tinubu’s Single Window Backlash: Port Expert Knocks FG Over CRFFN, Freight Forwarders Exclusion from Steering Committee

By DAPO OLAWUNI

Freight forwarders operating at Nigerian seaports have knocked the Federal Government for excluding the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) and a freight logistics professional in the National Single Widow steering committee which was unveiled by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday.

Maritime guru and former President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) Dr Eugene Nweke, noted the omission by the Federal Government, adding that the government have always treated freight logistics operators with disdain.

According to him, the Single Window exclusion is a further demonstration that the Federal Government do not appreciate nor value the contributions of the freight forwarders in their fiscal and monetary policy formulations, which according t9 him, usually ends up in somersault.

Dr Nweke told DAILY TREND that “It is heartbreaking to note that, a National Single Widow steering committee was inaugurated without the CRFFN nominating a representative of the freight logistics services providers.

“This leaves room to appreciate the level at which this group of essential services providers are being neglected in the nation, but will be required during emergency situations like it happened during COVID-19.

“Again, the relevance of CRFFN in the present industry facets agitates the minds of practitioners.
It is the same manner they don’t appreciate nor value the contributions of the freight forwarders in their fiscal and monetary policy formulations, which ends up in somersault” he said

President Bola Tinubu inaugurated the National Single Window Committee at the Presidential Villa Abuja on Tuesday, incorporating egg-heads drawn from representatives of the Federal Ministry of Finance, representatives of the Marine and Blue Economy, those of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment as well as Federal Inland Revenue Service.

The Committee also comprised representatives of the Nigerian Customs Service, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, the Standards Organization of Nigeria, the Nigerian Maritime Administration on Safety Agency, NIMASA, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, PEBEC.

The policy is encapsulated under the National Single Window Steering Committee which will explore real-time digital trade compliance.

The National Single Window project will facilitate a paperless trade volume of $ 2.7 billion to the country.

According to the Nigerian President, the country cannot afford to lose an estimated $4 billion annually to bureaucracy, delays and corruption.

He noted that it was time for Nigeria to join the ranks of countries like Singapore, Korea, Kenya and Saudi Arabia that have experienced significant improvement in trade efficiency after implementing a single window system.

Tinubu said he was optimistic that through the newly launched project, Nigeria will expedite cargo movement and optimize inter-African trade.

He added that the initiative is a testament to his administration’s commitment to regional integration and collaboration.