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By Steve Agbota
The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has decried the corruption, trade malpractices and extortion plaguing the nation’s maritime sector.
As a panacea, the association has inaugurated a 16-member committee known as “the NAGAFF Trade War,” aimed at confronting the escalating trade malpractices perpetrated by some government agencies and othear critical stakeholders.
Addressing newsmen in Lagos recently on the matter, the Founder of NAGAFF, Dr Boniface Aniebonam, said that these practices directly threaten the cargo documentation and clearance value chain within the Nigerian port system.
According to him, such practices undermined the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, hence the need for the inauguration of a 16-man committee to checkmate corrupt practices in the maritime sector.
He said that the action was in response to the persistent exploitation, regulatory excesses, and operational bottlenecks experienced by traders, importers, and freight forwarding practitioners operating within the Nigerian port environment.
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“Accordingly, the NAGAFF Trade War Committee is hereby constituted and domiciled in the office of the Founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders. The committee is mandated to undertake strategic trade advocacy, operational monitoring, policy intelligence gathering and institutional engagement aimed at addressing systemic inefficiencies and exploitative practices affecting port users and logistics operators across Nigeria’s international ecosystem,” he explained.
However, he lamented the current level of exploitation within the port environment, which undermines the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He reiterated that the situation became more concerning when some presidential appointees within the maritime and port administration ecosystem appeared not to be contributing effectively to the reform objectives of the administration due to allegations of corruption, regulatory capture, and weak institutional accountability.
“The Trade War Committee shall therefore function as an independent oversight and advisory platform, working closely with higher authorities to provide credible field intelligence, empirical evidence, and first-hand operational reports from activities within Nigerian ports.
“The initiative is designed to ensure that the Presidency is furnished with unfiltered, evidence-based insights supported by verifiable documentation. Such information will support informed policy decisions, regulatory reforms, and strategic appointments within the maritime and port governance architecture, in line with the national anti-corruption framework,” he said.
He called on all relevant authorities, regulatory agencies, and stakeholders to cooperate with the initiative as they work collectively towards sanitising the system, protecting the interests of genuine traders, and strengthening Nigeria’s position in global trade.
Members of the committee include Dr Increase Uche, Chairman, Chief Patrick Ogbo, Research and Trade Intelligence; Dr Author Igwilo, Secretary, Dr Fred Adjuzie, Operations and Strategic Coordination, Dr Clement Iwegbuna, Media and Public Communication; Dr Segun Musa, Special Duties, Ikechukwu Iwegbuna, Information Technology; Kelvin Mbachu, Information Technology, Miss Hilda Ometere, Special Duties and Barr. Brian Onyiuike-Legal Affairs.
Others are Barr. Peter Ofikwu-Legal Affairs, Barr. Ola Rotimi-Legal Affairs; Barr. Lawrence Ezeudu-Legal Affairs, Barr. Okwudili Alagbu, Legal affairs; Prof Iyiola Oni, Consulting and Strategic Advisory and Mr Kingsley Anaroke, Media Consulting.
