NAGAFF: We’ve absolute confidence in CRFFN, Registrar–Ezisi, says ANLCA, others sabotaging Govt reforms in maritime industry
Maureen Aguta
In a move to distance itself from the support declared by ANLCA, AREFF, NAFFAC for the judgement recently obtained by the Mr Lucky Amiwero’s NCMDLCA in suit no. FHC/L/CS/765/2018, against CRFFN, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), has passed a vote of confidence on the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), and its Registrar, Mr Kingsley Igwe.
Advocacy Times reports that the High Court ruling which has long been appealed against and a stay of execution filed by the CRFFN, held that the Council lacks the authority to regulate Customs Agents and collect the Practitioner Operating Fee (POF).
Affirming the position of NAGAFF on the matter, on Monday in Lagos, the National President of NAGAFF, High Chief Tochukwu Ezisi, noted that in a twist of the event, Mr Amiwero has condemned the associations for exploiting his court victory, a development, Chief Ezisi said has exposed the opportunism of the four associations.
He said, “Let it be known that ANLCA has long resisted CRFFN’s establishment, going as far as proposing a counter bill in the National Assembly.”
According to him, the real issue appears to be the appointment of Mr. Kingsley Igwe as Registrar, a former NAGAFF Secretary.
“His emergence triggered a litigation, not for legal rectitude but as a political vendetta,” Ezisi said.
He stated that those who no longer believe in the CRFFN mandate can exit the stage, even as he alleged that NAGAFF suspects the broader agenda of those attacking CRFFN is to sabotage the government reforms in the Marine and Blue Economy sector.
To this end, he called on the government to investigate the economic and regulatory sabotage being carried out under the guise of activism, saying ANLCA and NCMDLCA must align their identities with the new Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Act 2023.
Ezisi also recommended that CRFFN should consider deregistering those four associations and request the withdrawal of their CAC Certificates in overall national interest.
Meanwhile, the NAGAFF President has said that despite the distractions, NAGAFF remains proud of the performance of the current Registrar, Mr Kingsley Igwe because of his landmark performance in the training of 1,000 of freight forwarders in 2025, an unprecedented capacity-building initiative which has seen a successful training of 300 freight forwarders already. This is as it is on record that the Registrar is driving digital modernisation and stakeholder collaboration to strengthen CRFFN’s regulatory role.
It is against this backdrop that “we hereby pass a vote of absolute confidence on the leadership of CRFFN Registrar/CEO under the supervision of the Hon
Minster of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON.
“NAGAFF will remain committed to the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, and to a freight forwarding profession anchored in professionalism, transparency, and national service,” Ezisi said.