Stakeholders Demand Urgent Reassessment of Freight Forwarding Associations to Sustain Sector Reforms

Stakeholders Demand Urgent Reassessment Of Freight Forwarding Associations To Sustain Sector Reforms

APFFLON President, Otunba Frank OGUNOJEMITE

By Frank Odinukaeze

Maritime stakeholders have called on the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy to urgently intervene in the growing crisis within the freight forwarding sector by mandating a comprehensive reassessment of all registered associations under the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).

In a passionate letter addressed to the Minister, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, a prominent industry advocate, warned that the hard-won reforms in the freight forwarding industry are under serious threat due to the deteriorating standards and poor internal governance of many associations currently operating in the sector.

He commended the Minister’s ongoing reform efforts through the CRFFN, which he described as “a beacon of hope for professionalism, accountability, and capacity building,” but noted that those gains are now in danger of being eroded by unchecked ethical violations, weak leadership structures, and a lack of compliance among some freight forwarding groups.

“The lack of uniformity in compliance, poor ethical standards, weakening representation, and internal leadership crises within many of these associations are eroding public trust and destabilizing the regulatory goals the Ministry and CRFFN have worked diligently to implement,” Ogunojemite stated.

He urged the Honourable Minister to direct the CRFFN Registrar to immediately initiate a nationwide reassessment and revalidation exercise. The proposed reassessment, he said, should include:

Verification of compliance with CRFFN’s regulations and ethical benchmarks;

Auditing of membership records and internal leadership structures;

Assessment of each association’s contribution to professional growth and national economic development;

Restructuring or disbanding of associations found to be counterproductive or non-compliant.
Ogunojemite emphasized that such action is critical to restoring professionalism in the sector and ensuring that only credible associations remain partners in Nigeria’s blue economy drive.

In a related appeal, he also urged the Minister to instruct the Managing Director of SW Global, Alhaji Nura Umar, to provide an official account of the total Practitioner’s Operating Fee (POF) collected so far, in line with the Minister’s commitment to transparency and accountability — a principle the Minister championed during the National Single Window seminar held at the Marriott Hotel.

“This reassessment is critical not only to restore order and professionalism but also to preserve your administration’s legacy of transformative leadership,” the letter concluded.

The call for intervention comes amid rising tension in the maritime sector, with several industry insiders expressing concerns over the credibility and effectiveness of some freight forwarding groups. Analysts believe that a bold step by the Ministry at this time could further strengthen regulatory compliance and enhance Nigeria’s maritime competitiveness globally.