Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, the founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), along with the Board-In-Council of NAGAFF, has spoken out against what they call “unnecessary disturbances” caused by four competing freight forwarding groups.
This statement followed a joint press conference on July 18, 2024, organized by the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN), the National Association of Freight Forwarders and Consolidators (NAFFAC), and the National Council of Managing Directors and Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA). They held this event after a court ruling that questioned the authority of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).
NAGAFF expressed disappointment that these four associations publicly supported a May 26, 2025 judgment from the Federal High Court in Lagos. This ruling favored Mr. Lucky Eyis Amiwero, who is the factional President of NCMDLCA. The court decided that licensed customs agents should not be regulated by CRFFN and deemed it illegal to collect Practitioners Operating Fees (POF) from them.
Nevertheless, CRFFN has appealed this ruling, requested a stay on its execution, and delivered relevant legal documents to the plaintiff. NAGAFF argued that this judgment does not hold until an appellate court issues a final decision and criticized the splinter groups for using it prematurely for political gain.
Adding to the situation, Mr. Amiwero distanced his legal actions from these four associations, calling them “strange bedfellows” and accusing them of trying to benefit from efforts they did not contribute to. NAGAFF believes his strong criticism further reveals that these groups are disconnected and opportunistic.
According to NAGAFF, these associations’ silence after Amiwero’s harsh remarks shows their lack of strategic insight and integrity.
The organization accused them of eroding their credibility and dragging the freight forwarding profession into disrepute.
The statement also delved into ANLCA’s long-standing opposition to the CRFFN Act, accusing the association of trying to kill the bill during its legislative stages. NAGAFF recalled how ANLCA pushed for a rival bill to replace the CRFFN framework and tried to assert a monopoly over licensed customs agents.
NAGAFF also pointed fingers at alleged irregularities during the 2008 CRFFN Governing Council election, in which Amiwero participated and lost. The group said that despite the glaring anomalies, they allowed the Council to proceed with its work for the sake of progress, while Amiwero continued to protest the outcome for nearly two decades.
The group outlined two major declarations made in Amiwero’s successful court case: that licensed customs agents are not freight forwarders, and that CRFFN cannot legally collect POF from them. NAGAFF argued these declarations only serve to embolden non-compliant actors and destabilize regulatory processes.
NAGAFF accused the splinter groups of attempting to frustrate the appointment of Mr. Kingsley Igwe as CRFFN Registrar, alleging the real reason was his former affiliation with NAGAFF. Despite the resistance, NAGAFF praised Mr. Igwe for his professionalism and innovation since assuming office.
The association emphasized that it holds a numerical and intellectual advantage in the freight forwarding industry. According to the release, NAGAFF accounts for over 80% of practicing freight forwarders in Nigeria, most of whom continue to support the CRFFN and pay their statutory POF.
The group urged the authorities to ignore the antics of the splinter groups and instead allow CRFFN to carry out its mandate as provided by law. They went as far as suggesting that these groups may be acting as proxies for individuals determined to undermine government revenue collection efforts.
NAGAFF also claimed that some of the associations have historically failed to fulfill their statutory obligations to CRFFN, including payment of membership dues. It was only when NAGAFF attempted to join the suit against the CRFFN Registrar that these associations rushed to update their records.
Another point of contention raised in the statement is the use of outdated nomenclature by ANLCA and NCMDLCA. NAGAFF said the repeal of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) invalidates these groups’ traditional labels and advised them to adopt the new “Customs Representatives” title under the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
The association warned that failure to comply with lawful obligations, such as POF payment, constitutes a statutory offense. It urged the authorities to take the activities of these associations seriously and treat them as potential threats to government revenue.
