Only 64 freight forwarders practise legitimately at Nigerian ports, borders ― CRFFN

The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarders In Nigeria (CRFFN) on Wednesday revealed that only 64 freight forwarders out of a total registered 787 freight forwarders are currently practising legitimately at the nation’s ports and borders points.

This is even as the Council confirmed that the collection of the Practitioners Operating Fee (POF) has started officially on the 5th of October, 2020.

Speaking on Wednesday in Lagos during a media briefing earmarked to announce the collection of the POF, Registrar/CEO of the CRFFN, Barrister Sam Nwakohu revealed that any freight forwarder that refuses to comply with POF payment will not be allowed to carry his or her cargo out of the ports.

According to the CRFFN Registrar, “We are glad to inform you that following successful integration with terminal operators in the western ports, enforcement of POF collection has now commenced.”

He added that the POF, which is derived from the provisions of section 6 of the CRFFN Act is a major source of the Council’s internally generated revenue, first for the government and second to drive the necessary reforms and develop the industry

“Integration with terminal operators in the Eastern ports is on-going and we shall communicate to you accordingly with respect to enforcement of same in the Eastern ports.

“The user public is strongly advised to verify the authenticity of the freight forwarder they wish to engage on the CRFFN website. This is to ensure you are dealing with a registered freight forwarder.

“We really want to appreciate the body of shippers and freight forwarders who operate under very difficult conditions to keep Nigeria moving. The CRFFN will do her best to provide the enabling environment for the freight forwarding industry,” he added.

On challenges expected from operators as regards the POF collection, Barrister Nwakohu stated that “I did not wake up one morning and decided that CRFFN should start collecting POF from operators. POF is nine years old, meaning it has been in the Council’s long before I became Registrar/CEO of the CRFFN. The laws have been made by goverment, and whoever decides that he or she won’t pay, then such a person will not take his or her cargo out of the ports.

“We have written to all the Accredited associations. We are done with sensitisation. We will be publishing the names of freight forwarders whose subscriptions are up to date very soon on our website.

“As at today, we only have about 64 freight forwarders whose payments and subscriptions are up to date in line with the law regulating the freight forwarding practise in Nigeria. These are the people we can validly call freight forwarders as at today. We will be updating that list as more people pay their subscription to the CRFFN.

“On our register, we have 787 names of freight forwarders that are practising at the ports and borders, but only 64 are practising legitimately as at today.”

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