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In a bid to enhance the operations of freight forwarding in the country, the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) held a strategic engagement of freight forwarders in Lagos on Monday to digitalise and standardise their operations.
Speaking at the summit, the Registrar of CRFFN, Mr. Kingsley Igwe, stressed the need for freight forwarders to position themselves to harness the potentials of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
The CRFFN boss, Igwe, observed that AfCFTA maintained that over 90 percent of those to benefit from the AfCFTA market should be freight forwarders.
His words: “The National Single Window (NSW) is planning to takeoff by the first quarter in 2026 and if you continue manual processes there is a high tendency that you will be left out.
“This is our first stakeholders engagement since I resumed and I am aware that there are lots of pertinent issues that have a high impact on the performance of freight forwarding business in the nation.
“We may not understand the depth and gravity of the issues affecting freight forwarders, but we have decided to come out to engage you in a bid to understand the problems and think about how to solve them.”
Igwe, however, assured that by December 2025, CRFFN would have fully digitalised her services.
“The price of freight forwarding practice in Nigeria has continued to increase and we are concerned about the cost of doing business and the time-lag. These issues, when addressed, would make port business more seamless in a world that is driven by automation,” he added.
The Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Akutah Pius MON, who was represented by Mr. Sarumi Adesina, commended the CRFFN for prioritising the engagement of freight forwarders via the conference.
Noting that the world is at a point where everyone is craving for digitalised port processes and automation, the NSC boss posited that the theme of the summit “Digitisation and Standardisation of Freight Logistics Services and Pricing Mechanism” was apt and pertinent.
The NSC boss enjoined port users to play their respective roles in enshrining automation and transparent processes at the nation’s port sector.
Meanwhile, the Chairman, Nigerian Ports Consultative Council (NPCC), Mr. Bolaji Sunmola, disclosed that the NPCC has undertaken research and developed practical, technology-enabled proposals for addressing gaps in maritime freight logistics sector.
“We believe that the way forward lies in embracing globally recognized solutions such as the Port Community System, a fully integrated National Single Window, widespread adoption of electronic documentation, and real-time data-sharing between government agencies and private sector players.
“Countries like Singapore, the Netherlands, and the UAE have demonstrated the profound efficiency gains and cost savings that come from harmonized digital ecosystems. Nigeria must not be left behind. We have the local capacity, the technology, and, importantly, the will—gathered in this very room—to make it happen. NPCC stands ready to continuously work with CRFFN and other critical stakeholders—both in government and the private sector to co-create an inclusive, standardized, and digitally enabled logistics framework for our ports and supply chains,” Sunmola assured.
Also speaking a former Director at CRFFN and CEO, Etcetera Consulting Limited, Dr. Alban Igwe, warned that if the practice of freight forwarding in Nigeria isn’t predictable, it is akin to 419 – fraud.
“Digitisation is converting your paperwork into digital platforms. It is making your business visible online such that you have digital/ online presence.
“What happens in the freight forwarding sector to get to your physically, you are at a disadvantage because someone else has positioned himself online and offers price quotations digitally. You will most likely lose businesses to such competition,” Alban remarked.
The event was graced by scores of freight forwarders and maritime sector bigwigs including; the National Treasurer, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Hajia Bola Muse; Chairman, Tincan Island Port chapter, ANLCA, Prince Olawale Cole; Secretary General, National Association Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Mr. Godfrey Nwosu; Chairman, Tincan Island Port chapter, Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON), Alhaji Akeem Aribiojo; Director, Stakeholders Relations, CBI Nigeria, Mrs. Cynthia Akpomudiare; among others.
Some of the industry challenges listed during the practitioners feedback session include; the domination of the Nigerian freight forwarding sector by foreign operators, multiple registrations and arbitrary charges by government agencies with overlapping functions, unregulated and unprofessional practices by truck operators, regulation of entry and exit of practitioners, among others.
