Freight forwarding professionals across Nigeria have been urged to invest in training and continuous professional development to remain aligned with evolving industry dynamics, as growing national and global pressures mount on the transport and trade ecosystem to ensure long-term sustainability of the sector.
The Sea Empowerment and Research Centre (SEREC) in its bulletin, signed by its Head of Research, Dr Eugene Nweke, highlighted key concerns needed for immediate adaptation.
The research body charged the freight forwarders to remain relevant by adapting to port automation and digitalisation, especially with the ongoing national initiatives like the adoption of the National Single Window and Customs’ migration to the B’odogwu trade platform, which incorporates machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies.
The centre called for compliance with the newly signed Tax Reform via the establishment of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), warning shippers and practitioners that fiscal compliance is now more critical than ever.
On regulatory matters, the research body emphasised the need for a unified, well-structured, and inclusive Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).
He warned against internal divisions and urged professionals to focus on building legacies rather than engaging in prolonged disputes.
The statement also noted with concern the marginal role of freight forwarders in the ongoing implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
According to the centre, despite being integral to trade facilitation, many practitioners remain sidelined in policy and operational frameworks.
Furthermore, the SEREC lamented the rising operational frustrations fueled by foreign exchange volatility and China’s currency swap policy, which it said have both strained business viability and heightened risks of substandard, fake, or dangerous goods entering the supply chain.
The group urged practitioners to remain vigilant and to play a greater role in protecting Nigeria’s ports from such threats.
Addressing the high cost of doing business at the ports, SEREC cited the proliferation of taxes and duplicated charges, which it warned could derail Nigeria’s ambition to become a regional transhipment hub.
The group noted that government agencies are certain to reintroduce several levies, including the four per cent customs operation funding charge and new regulatory tariffs under a soon-to-be-enacted Nigeria Shipping and Port Economic Regulatory Agency law.
The group also raised alarm over the lack of fairness in Nigeria’s international trade agreements, particularly in Incoterms, and called for urgent regulatory interventions to establish more predictable shipping and port operations.
The research centre further highlighted the reactivation of local content laws, noting that foreign operators and their affiliated shipping lines have gradually encroached upon the professional space, necessitating a unified resistance by indigenous practitioners.
