By Joshua Yousouph
The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Mr. Kingsley Igwe, has unveiled bold and transformative plans for a total overhaul of the CRFFN Act and the redefinition of the Council’s operational framework and nomenclature.
Mr. Kingsley Igwe, who shared his vision at a meeting with the Editorial Team of Shipping Position Daily last week emphasized the urgent need to reposition the Council and Nigeria’s freight forwarding sector to align with global standards.
Speaking passionately about his aspirations, Mr. Igwe stated that his administration will pursue a complete restructuring of the CRFFN Act, noting that the current legislation falls short of addressing the full scope of the logistics and supply chain industry in Nigeria. According to him, the Act, in its present form, focuses disproportionately on associations and membership regulation, rather than providing a holistic framework for industry practice.
He expressed his intention to redefine the Council’s nomenclature, advocating for the disbandment of outdated and confusing terminologies such as “freight forwarder” and “customs agent,” to logistics providers, which he believes have contributed to instability and fragmentation within the sector.
“If you look throughout the sections of the Act, what it speaks and what it intends to speak about are different. It’s now talking about regulation of associations and members, instead of the broader logistics industry. CRFFN is supposed to regulate the industry – how it operates, how people enter, practice, and grow in it. That must change.”
“Everyone in the logistics value chain – freight forwarders, truckers, couriers, terminal operators, even warehouse managers – are logistics service providers. The lack of clarity in roles and the current proliferation of associations have created confusion and weakened regulatory control,” Igwe said.
In what he described as a vision to position Nigeria on the global logistics map, Mr. Igwe emphasized that the country must begin to produce exportable logistics professionals, like what obtains in Singapore, the Netherlands and India, which dominate international supply chain operations.
To achieve this, he noted that capacity building, structured entry mechanisms, and continuous knowledge development will be a priority under his leadership. The Registrar disclosed that recent trainings conducted by the Council were already gaining positive feedback and would be replicated across regions.
Furthermore, Igwe revealed plans to initiate Nigeria’s first National Logistics Policy, which he said is critical to the integration and seamless movement of cargo across land, sea, and air modes of transport.
On regulatory reforms, the CRFFN boss declared his readiness to audit and sanitize freight forwarding associations, many of which he said lack structure, constitution, or a clearly defined vision. He alleged that some associations have been receiving illegal funding from certain agencies and are actively undermining the regulatory goals of CRFFN.
Mr. Igwe acknowledged that the journey to transformation would be tough, especially with limited internal resources and resistance from entrenched interests, but affirmed his commitment to driving these reforms with integrity and a clear sense of purpose.
“Some of these associations are illegally collecting fees. We’ll review and audit all of them. It’s time to redefine what associations should exist and how they should operate. CRFFN cannot function as a mere registry of associations; we must be a regulator of the entire industry.”
“Growth is not always pleasant, but this conversation must begin. If we don’t do it now, the industry will remain stagnant. We must adopt best practices, build a knowledge-based industry, and stop operating like an informal sector.
