By Steve Agbota
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has approved a new tranch of bailout funds to pay the five-month salary backlog owed to members of staff of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).
This comes on the heels of an earlier approval for payment of the initial five months salary arrears from March to July 2024.
The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of CRFFN, Mr. Kingsley Igwe, made the disclosure in his new year message, where he also shared his vision to transform the Council into a leading regulatory authority that champions innovation, integrity and excellence in freight forwarding, with the ultimate goal of enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness in global trade.
Igwe revealed that the CRFFN received the bailout funds following a period of prolonged salary delay, which caused financial strain on the council’s staff. He described the intervention as a timely and compassionate response from the Minister, providing much-needed relief during a challenging period.
“As we speak, the Minister has approved another tranch of bailout fund for payment of five months’ salary arrears from August to December 2024 and the entire team is working hard to perfect all arrangements for disbursement as soon as possible. With this, you can be rest assured that the welfare of our workforce under my administration is paramount to the Minister.
“Going forward, salaries will be paid promptly, and I expect, in return, a renewed dedication to duty and productivity from all staff. Additionally, in 2025, we will enhance workplace conditions across all CRFFN offices nationwide and implement initiatives that prioritise the professional growth of our staff. By fostering a supportive and motivating environment, we will empower our workforce to perform at their best”, he said.
He highlighted Nigeria’s strategic importance within Africa, noting its central location, key ports, and the burgeoning potential of the blue economy, all of which together offer a platform to propel the industry forward. He further observed a troubling gap in the capacity building of freight forwarders, particularly in the core areas of professional practice. This gap, he argued, is a direct reflection of insufficient investment in vital training, knowledge development, and skill enhancement initiatives.
Such deficiencies, he said, hinder the ability of professionals to effectively adapt to the rapidly changing demands of the industry, evolving regulatory frameworks, and the swift pace of technological advancements.
“The industry has not fully leveraged opportunities for continuous professional development, standardised practices, and innovative solutions that could enhance efficiency, compliance, and competitiveness. Addressing this challenge requires a concerted effort to prioritise education, mentorship, and resource allocation to unlock the full potential of freight forwarders and their critical role in national logistics service administration.
“The aforementioned would not be achieved if there is still division amongst us. We all know how the freight logistics sector has suffered so much in Nigeria and CRFFN being the statutory unifying body has suffered the most since inception. By now, CRFFN should have grown like her sister agencies as NPA, NIMASA and Nigeria Shippers Council.
“Now that we, the practitioners, have taken over, the opportunity has come. The peace of doing business and the benefits of our hard work is now in our hands. We must all be united at all fronts to achieve the desired results as the world is watching us,” he said.