The Sea Empowerment and Research Center (SEREC) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, for the inauguration of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), describing the move as a strategic step toward strengthening governance in the maritime sector.
In a statement issued on Monday, January 20, 2026, SEREC said the inauguration of the NSC board reinforces institutional accountability and reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning Nigeria’s maritime sector as a key driver of economic growth under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to the organisation, the reconstitution of the NSC board is timely and critical to ensuring effective regulation, policy direction and oversight within the shipping and trade facilitation space.
While applauding the development, SEREC called on President Tinubu and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy to urgently constitute the Governing Council of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding Practice in Nigeria (CRFFN), which it said has been without a governing board since the inception of the current administration in 2023.
SEREC noted that the continued absence of a Governing Council at CRFFN is in clear violation of the provisions of the CRFFN Act No. 16 of 2007, which mandates a statutory governance structure for the regulation of freight forwarding practice in the country.
The research-based organisation criticised the Federal Government’s reliance on an ongoing court case as justification for the prolonged suspension of statutory governance at CRFFN, arguing that such a position undermines regulatory consistency and weakens the credibility of ongoing sector reforms.
According to SEREC, freight forwarding and logistics service provision play a critical role in Nigeria’s trade facilitation framework, port efficiency, revenue assurance and overall logistics ecosystem, warning that weak or incomplete professional regulation in the sub-sector directly contributes to the high cost of doing business at the ports.
It further stated that operational inefficiencies, poor compliance and declining global competitiveness in Nigeria’s trade environment are partly linked to the absence of a fully constituted regulatory structure for freight forwarders.
SEREC pointed out that the recent inauguration of the NSC Governing Board underscores the importance of functional governance structures in enabling regulatory institutions to effectively deliver on their mandates.
In the same vein, the organisation stressed that activating the CRFFN Governing Council is essential to restoring professionalism in freight forwarding practice, strengthening compliance and aligning the sub-sector with national economic and maritime policy objectives.
It added that a properly constituted CRFFN council would also support key government initiatives such as the National Single Window project, ongoing port reforms and the broader Marine and Blue Economy development agenda.
SEREC therefore urged the Federal Government to ensure uniform application of statutory governance across all maritime institutions by promptly constituting the CRFFN Governing Council in line with its enabling Act.
According to the organisation, such a move would enhance trade facilitation outcomes, boost investor confidence and reinforce trust in the Federal Government’s maritime sector reforms.
The statement was signed by the Head of Research at SEREC, freight forwarder Eugene Nweke.
