ZAINAB JUNAID
The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has predicted that cargo handling operations at airports, seaports, and land borders will witness significant improvements in 2025.
In his New Year message, APFFLON National President, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, made the prediction while calling 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.
He also emphasized the need for the Nigeria Customs Service to adhere strictly to its Act and prioritize trade facilitation over revenue generation.
“The Nigeria Customs Service must de-emphasize revenue generation over and above trade facilitation to achieve seamless cargo transaction,” he says.
The APFFLON President expressed concerns over the incessant cargo seizures by Customs in 2024, which he believed were not helpful to the economy. He blamed importers, freight forwarders, and customs agents for non-compliance and warned them to desist from wrong declarations.
Ogunojemite also appealed to the Federal Government to address the high cost of shipments in and out of the country, ensuring that shipment costs compete favorably with neighboring countries.
Similarly, he advised the government to reduce jet fuel prices and provide tax incentives to airline operators and ground handlers to boost traveling and reduce ground handling costs.
The National President further revealed that the association plans to introduce manpower development programs to enhance the capacity of its members and keep them up-to-date with the ever-changing freight forwarding profession.
He commended the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, on the appointment of Igwe Onyekachi as the new Registrar/CEO of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), describing it as the best thing to happen to the freight forwarding sector.
