Unstable FX crippled imports, exports in 2024 — APFFLON

•backs tax incentives for airlines, others

The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has expressed optimism that cargo handling operations at airports, seaports and land borders will witness improvements in 2025.

This is even as the group blamed unstable foreign exchange policy for the decline of export and imports at the nations ports.

The APFFLON National President, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, expressed this optimism in a new year message shared with the Tribune Online on Friday.

Welcoming Nigerians, particularly freight forwarders to the year 2025, Ogunojemite called on the Federal Government to maintain a steady exchange rate policy, noting that unstable exchange rates in 2024 caused imports to drop sharply while Customs duties rose against all odds.

The APFFLON President said the Nigeria Customs Service as a leading agent in the business chain in the port and land border must adhere strictly to its Act and de-emphasis revenue generation over and above trade facilitation – seamless cargo transaction.

“In 2024, the Nigeria Customs Service did well to a certain level in compliance with its Act to promote trade but not enough. The Service placed too much emphasis on revenue generation above trade facilitation and stakeholder engagement. Revenue generation is good especially on promotion of export of our indigenous goods, this will definitely create a pool of funds for the government to provide infrastructure.

“But this should not be at the detriment of international trade that generates the revenue. When there is a growth in international trade, the country will collect more revenue than what the Customs collected in 2024. Government must create a friendly atmosphere, charge all other agencies to be focused and ensure steady exchange rate – for importers and exporters to thrive in 2025,” said Ogunojemite.

Ogunojemite, who is a seasoned freight forwarder, expressed worries over incessant cargo seizures by the Customs in 2024, which, he said, was not helpful to the economy as the seized goods were given away by the government at ridiculous auction rates.

He, however, blamed importers, freight forwarders, customs agents for non-compliance and warned them to desist from wrong declaration of their consignments. He also appealed to the Federal Government to look into the high cost of shipments in and out of the country, ensuring that our shipment costs compete favourably with our neighboring countries.

On the appointment of a new Registrar/CEO for the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), APFFLON President restated that the appointment of Igwe Onyekachi by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola is the best thing to happen to freight forwarding sector.

He said APFFLON will come up with developmental initiatives to support the new CRFFN Registrar/CEO to achieve his mandate. “Time is now for us to support the new boss of CRFFN. The Council and freight forwarders have suffered a lot. Many years after its establishment, we are yet to make any meaningful decisions, or headway, that can impact our lives as freight forwarders and customs agents. At APFFLON, we are ready to work with the new CRFFN boss. To other associations, we are appealing to them to embrace Onyekachi’s appointment and let us move our industry forward,” said Ogunojemite.

On high cost of air ticket, the APFFLON President absolved airlines of any complicity but attributed this to incessant increase of jet fuel price which, he said, has somehow doubled overall production of airlines.
He said the airlines are in business to make profits but advised the federal government to reduce the price of jet fuel as this will certainly bring down both passengers cargoes fares.

He also advised the federal government to give tax incentives to airline operators and ground handlers, expressing optimism that this would boost travelling and reduce the costs of ground handling operations.

Towards the growth of APFFLON members in the new year, the National President said the national organ of the association will come up with manpower development programe to boost their capacity so as to keep abreast with the ever-changing freight forwarding profession.

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