By Joshua Yousouph
The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has announced plans to commence a nationwide inspection and assessment of licensed Customs-bonded warehouses and terminals across Nigeria, following growing concerns over operational inefficiencies, inadequate infrastructure, and poor service delivery within the cargo logistics chain.
In a statement issued by the Head of the NAGAFF Trade Advocacy Committee, Dr. Increase Uche, the association disclosed that it has constituted a Special Technical Assessment Team to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of bonded terminals and warehouses operating across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
According to NAGAFF, the exercise is aimed at assessing the operational status, service capabilities, and overall viability of licensed Customs-bonded facilities, while promoting efficiency, regulatory compliance, and improved trade facilitation in line with the association’s public policy advocacy objectives.
The association noted that the technical team has been mandated to examine critical operational components, including the availability and functionality of cargo-handling equipment such as cranes, forklifts, Mafi trucks, reach stackers, and other machinery essential for cargo operations.
The inspection will also evaluate the quality and adequacy of infrastructure and superstructures at the facilities, including cargo examination bays, stacking areas, empty container holding bays, warehouse structures, office accommodation, security systems, and power supply arrangements. Other areas of focus include capacity utilization, staff strength, operational competence, customer service delivery, technological deployment, accessibility, and compliance with relevant regulatory and safety standards.
NAGAFF stated that the exercise would cover bonded warehouses and terminals operating across all transport modes, including seaports, airports, inland container depots, and other approved logistics facilities nationwide.
The association explained that the outcome of the assessment is expected to generate critical technical data and insights that will support policy recommendations, operational reforms, and improvements in cargo clearance processes, while enhancing the competitiveness of Nigeria’s logistics and trade facilitation sector.
The inspection exercise is scheduled to commence on June 15, 2026, with a visit to Rolling Grazing Bonded Terminal located at Kilometer 26, opposite the Foreign Affairs Academy along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Ijanikin, Lagos State. NAGAFF described the facility as one of the most modern logistics centres currently operating in the state.
The association also invited media practitioners to participate in the inspection visits to observe the assessment process and the findings that would eventually be presented to government authorities for necessary action.
Expressing concern over the state of some bonded terminals, NAGAFF regretted that many facilities currently operating under Customs licences allegedly fall short of the minimum standards required of logistics centres, stressing the need for urgent corrective measures to improve service delivery and industry performance.
