The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) has identified multiple regulatory interfaces, cargo clearance delays, inadequate infrastructure and high logistics costs as major constraints to the growth of Nigeria’s air cargo industry.

The council said the challenges could no longer be addressed piecemeal, calling instead for a coordinated, industry-wide approach involving regulators, airlines, airports, customs, freight forwarders, terminal operators, ground handlers and technology providers.

Chief Executive Officer of CRFFN, Dr Kingsley Igwe, stated this yesterday in Lagos at the Aviation Day of the Akwaaba African Travel Market, with the theme, ‘The Future of Air Cargo and Freight Forwarding in Nigeria’.

Igwe said the conference came at a time when global trade and logistics were undergoing rapid transformation driven by technology, changing consumer expectations and evolving supply chains.

He said Nigeria could not afford to remain on the sidelines as speed, efficiency, transparency and seamless cargo movement increasingly determine competitiveness in international trade.

According to him, the country has significant opportunities to expand its air cargo market, particularly through growing demand for e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, agricultural exports, high-value manufactured products and other time-sensitive commodities.

He, however, said realising those opportunities would require more than investment in physical infrastructure.

“We must also confront the persistent challenges of multiple regulatory interfaces, cargo clearance delays, inadequate infrastructure, high logistics costs and gaps in stakeholder coordination.

“These challenges cannot be addressed in isolation. They require a whole-of-industry approach anchored on collaboration, accountability and shared responsibility,” he said.

Igwe said airlines, airports, customs authorities, regulators, freight forwarders, terminal and ground-handling companies, technology providers and other industry players must work together rather than operate within disconnected systems.

He warned that poor coordination across the cargo chain could undermine the gains expected from infrastructure development and digitalisation.

Igwe also identified digital transformation as critical to the industry’s future, urging stakeholders to reduce manual processes, eliminate unnecessary delays, improve information sharing and provide end-to-end visibility of cargo.

He cited the National Single Window and other digital trade and logistics platforms as opportunities to improve transparency, efficiency and the ease of doing business.

He also mentioned the recently approved CRFFN Logroom4.1 initiative for freight-services pricing mechanisms, stressing that the benefits of such platforms would depend on effective implementation, integration and support from relevant stakeholders.

Igwe further said the freight-forwarding profession must evolve in response to changing demands in international trade.
He said freight forwarders could no longer remain mere intermediaries between shippers and other players in the logistics chain.

Rather, he said professionals must become technology-enabled logistics experts, trusted supply-chain partners and facilitators of seamless international trade.

He assured that CRFFN would continue to promote professionalism, competence, ethical standards, continuous capacity development and technology adoption within the freight-forwarding profession.

Igwe commended CHINET for sustaining the Aviacargo Conference, describing it as an important platform for stakeholders to identify challenges, exchange ideas and develop solutions for the growth of Nigeria’s air cargo sector.