Aniebonam mulls creation of loan platform for freight forwarders, as NAGAFF clocks 23 years

By Ranmilowo Ojalumo
The founder, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam has expressed his intention to create a platform through which freight forwarders will be able to access loan that will enable them to run their business without hitch, thereby enhancing the growth of the nation’s economy.
Aniebonam disclosed this in Lagos on Thursday at the occasion marking the 23rd anniversary of NAGAFF.
The NAGAFF founder stated that he was able to know early what God wants him to be doing which is to be creating platform for people to showcase their talents and make change, saying this was what gave birth to the formation of NAGAFF 23 years ago.
He said over the years, he has done a lot for the freight forwarding and logistics profession by creating NAGAFF as a platform and an umbrella body for all freight forwarders, noting that the association has been leading in pursing the interest of all freight forwarders and more importantly changing the narrative at the port.
He said he had not just created platform for freight forwarders but has also gone extra mile to ensure that freight forwarders get a law that back the profession, through the birth of Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), stressing that the next thing now is to see how he can create a loan platform.
“I have provided NAGAFF as a platform that cover all freight forwarders, I have also gone extra mile to ensure there is law that back the freight forwarding profession, which is CRFFN. My next plan for the profession is to provide platform for loan through which the professionals can have fund to execute their transactions”, Aniebonam said.
While speaking at the event, the keynote speaker, Professor Iyiola Oni in his paper title “Good Governance: A Roadmap to National Development”, charged freight forwarders to be professional while discharging their duties.
Prof. Oni stated that freight forwarding practice is central to Nigeria economy in the movement of cargo globally, stressing that professionalism and integrity is the first critical step to good governance.
He charged NAGAFF members who have not ratified their professional status to go and do so as possible. As a professional body, the keynote speaker specifically charged NAGAFF to get involved in the governance of Nigeria.
In his remark at the event, NAGAFF president, Dr. Tochukwu Ezisi said the story of NAGAFF is similar to the biblical mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seed that grew into a gigantic tree in the forest, in which all manners of animals take shelter under its very dense and expanse branches. Though started small in 1999, He disclosed that NAGAFF can now be proud of 6,000 members as the largest freight forwarding association in Nigeria today with professionals spread across the six geo political regions of the country.
He noted that the association has been doing a lot to better the practice of freight forwarding in the country. He gave assurance that the association will continue to lead the way by bringing new ideas and innovations into the maritime system.
“We shall continue to embrace the new and evolving digital technology, maintain and improve new value, standards, ethics and professional ethos of the industry. I will like to convey our unshakable assurance to the Nigeria Customs Service that NAGAFF, in accordance with the tradition of our founding fathers, will continue to co-operate and synergise with it to ensure the achievement of its laudable mandate towards the creation of a business–friendly port system, where facilitation of legitimate trade shall be the watchword”, the NAGAFF president said.
The Acting president of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents {ANLCA) in his good will message stressed that NAGAFF and ANLCA have a good relationship over the years and the relationship will continue to be strengthened.