NAGAFF Faults CRFFN Over Training Gap as Customs Modernisation Gathers Pace
Godfrey Nwosu, NAGAFF National Secretary
By FWDR Godfrey Emeka Nwosu, Secretary General, NAGAFF
Introduction:
The freight forwarding subsector of Nigeria’s maritime sector is at a turning point. The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), under its current Comptroller General, is investing in AI-driven trade facilitation and capacity building to ensure smooth succession and modernisation. While this transformation is commendable, indigenous freight forwarders, the facilitators of trade and revenue collection, are being neglected.
As Secretary General of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), I raise this alarm; if urgent steps are not taken, foreign operators will dominate the subsector, leaving Nigeria vulnerable economically, professionally, and strategically.
The Emerging Threats
• Foreign takeover: Foreign firms with advanced training and global networks are increasingly displacing indigenous freight forwarders.
• Regulatory failure: The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), established under Act 16 of 2007, has failed to enforce its mandate of training, regulation, and protection.
• Training gap: Unlike Customs officers who benefit from structured training, freight forwarders lack preparation for digital trade and AI integration.
Consequences of Negligence
Economic Risks:
• Revenue leakage: Inefficient trade facilitation reduces Customs’ ability to maximise federal revenue.
• Loss of competitiveness: Indigenous practitioners risk irrelevance in global trade.
Professional Risks:
• De-professionalisation: Without CRFFN’s intervention, freight forwarding may devolve into informal, unregulated activity.
• Skill mismatch: Practitioners remain ill-equipped to meet international standards.
National Security Risks:
• Trade vulnerability: Dependence on foreign freight forwarders exposes Nigeria’s trade processes to external manipulation.
• Weak local capacity: Indigenous operators cannot adequately support Customs in safeguarding national interests.
CRFFN’s Negligence
The CRFFN Act 16 of 2007 mandates the Council to regulate freight forwarding, set professional standards, and provide training. Yet, the Council has failed to:
• Implement structured training programs.
• Enforce professional standards.
• Maintain credibility among stakeholders.
This negligence has left indigenous freight forwarders vulnerable and unprepared for the future.
Policy Recommendations
• Mandatory training: CRFFN must establish compulsory training and certification aligned with global standards.
• AI integration: Freight forwarders must be equipped to leverage AI and digital platforms for compliance and logistics.
• Policy enforcement: Strict enforcement of CRFFN Act provisions to protect indigenous practitioners.
• Public-private collaboration: Partnerships between Customs, CRFFN, and freight forwarding associations to build capacity.
• National awareness: Advocacy campaigns to highlight the risks of neglecting indigenous freight forwarders.
Conclusion:
Nigeria’s maritime economy cannot thrive if indigenous freight forwarders are neglected. While Customs is preparing for the future, freight forwarders, the facilitators of trade and revenue, remain untrained and unsupported. This imbalance threatens economic growth, professional integrity, and national security.
CRFFN must fulfil its statutory responsibility to safeguard the profession and ensure that indigenous freight forwarders remain vital contributors to Nigeria’s trade facilitation and revenue generation.
