Steve Agbota
The Council for Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) has concluded plans to blacklist illegal freight forwarders operating across the nation’s ports and borders. Presently, only 64, out of 787 freight forwarders, are practising legally.
CRFFN Registrar, Samuel Nwakohu, who spoke at a press briefing in Lagos while announcing the enforcement of Practitioners’ Operating Fee (POF), which took off on Monday across the western ports, said there would be no hiding place for illegal practitioners again.
According to him, the Council would publish the names of freight forwarders who are legally practising and blacklist the unregistered practitioners.
“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 practising 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. We will be publishing the names of freight forwarders whose subscriptions are up to date very soon on our website. “These are the only legitimate freight forwarders currently practising at our ports and borders.”
He added that following successful integration with terminal operators in western ports; enforcement of Practitioners’ Operating Fee (POF) collection has now commenced. According to him, the POF, which is derived from the provisions of section 6 of 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.