Aniebonam, Bello Charge Freight Forwarders to Embrace Education

By Ranmilowo Ojalumo

The founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam has charged freight forwarders in Nigeria to embrace learning, saying money is not enough without knowledge and education in the freight forwarding profession.

Aniebonam made the call on Friday during the 24th anniversary of NAGAFF held in Apapa, Lagos.

He stated that the association was established to liberate freight forwarders, and as well revolutionise freight forwarding and logistics in Nigeria, which eventually led to the establishment of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN). He called on freight forwarders in the country to go back to the council to acquire knowledge and be certified.

He said “Money is not everything without knowledge. Embrace education and learning. You can go back to school anytime. If you don’t have the right knowledge as a freight forwarder, you will continue to bribe, this is why you need to embrace education and acquire more knowledge.

“I have also tried to ensure that NAGAFF has a government-approved academy (NAGAFF Academy), so no forwarder has an excuse for not acquiring the needed education. The freight forwarders occupied an important position in the Nigerian economy, so you must embrace education and keep acquiring knowledge so that you will continue to be relevant”.

While speaking at the event, the former Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shipper’s Council, Barrister Hassan Bello, who was the chairman of the occasion, noted that freight forwarding is indispensable to the maritime industry, adding that without the forwarders, there cannot be maritime.

He said “Education is the soul of freight forwarding. The freight forwarders are important and indispensable to the Nigerian economy. Without you –the freight forwarders, the customs cannot generate revenue for the government. You have an indispensable profession to protect; you must therefore embrace education, train, and continue to retrain”.

While calling on all agencies in the industry to embrace technology, barrister Bello also stated that embracing technology is also important in freight forwarding. He said “Structure is also important. Office must be located in strategic places and many things can be done as a freight forwarder”.

Bar. Bello however expressed concern that more attention is being paid to associations whereas; an association is just a means to an end and not the end itself. “I have observed that we spend a lot of time on association. We fight every day but forget that training and retraining is important. We must change and grow because freight forwarding is not growing at the rate it ought to”, bar. Bello said.

He also reminded the freight forwarders that they are not trade unions but professional, hence they are not expected to go and shut the port.

Earlier in his remark, the president of NAGAFF, Chief Tochukwu Ezisi pointed out that NAGAFF has grown in numerical strength within 24 years to over 10,000 members nationwide and also boosted customs revenue by facilitating duty and excise payment on import and export trade transactions.

He called on the relevant agencies in the port to make the port more efficient and competitive with global practice, especially under the current African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to attract more ship calls from the region.

In his keynote address, titled “Agro Allied Products Export: Bedrocks to Sustainable Development”, the keynote speaker at the event, Captain John T. Okakpu urged the Nigerian government to support the private sector’s growth by providing an enabling environment.

He also urged the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to collaborate with relevant agencies to make export seamless, noting such a move will enhance the development of the nation’s economy.