Registered foreign Customs Brokers can practise in Nigeria – CRFFN boss

The Registrar of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Sir Mike Jukwe has said that any foreign Customs Broker operating in Nigeria is qualified to do so as long as such foreigners are duly accredited.

Meanwhile, newly elected members of the Governing Council of CRFFN have said that one of their mandates is to make sure that proliferation of foreigners in the subsector is dealt with when they assume office.

Recall that freight forwarders have severally decried the influx of foreigners into the industry saying it does not conform to international best practices.

Jukwe while speaking with journalists said that any agent who is not registered would not be allowed to practise.

“As far as our regulations are concerned, if you are a foreign freight forwarder, operating in Nigeria and you meet the requirements, registered, then you will operate but if you are not registered and did not meet our requirements, you will not operate,” he stated.

However, Chief Henry Njoku, one of the contestants who lauded the synergy among the various associations that produced the 15 candidates, added that the Council would perform better now that there is harmony among the members of the five registered associations.

“These are parts of the things we are going to look into and make sure it doesn’t happen that way again.

“From henceforth, things are going to be done normal. Because of the disunity among the five associations, that is why things were happening that way but right now, I tell you, the way we are moving, as you can see there is no problem and we are going to address those problems and see how we can solve them.

Tony Iju, National President of the Association of Nigerian Customs License Agents (ANLCA) while speaking stated that the issue of quackery and foreign domination of freight forwarding would be adequately addressed when the Governing Council members are sworn in.

In his words, “To me, I have been agitating that Nigerians are the only freight Forwarders in the port.

“And am very sure that CRFFN would work on that in conjunction with ANLCA and other associations, making sure that foreigners do not take over the profession in Nigeria.

“It is going to happen and it will happen in a very short period of time,” he assured.

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