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CILT admits Opeifa into its Fellowship cadre

— seeks strong collaboration with NRC 
Funso OLOJO 
The Nigeria’s foremost transportation institute, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Nigeria, has conferred a Fellowship award on the Managing Director and CEO of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC),
 Dr. Kayode Opeifa,  during an official courtesy visit to the corporation’s headquarters.
It also sought the deepening of collaboration between the Institute and the agency, which it described as a major player and the backbone of transportation and logistics sector in the country.
The  President and Chairman of Council, Mrs Mfon Ekong Usoro said the over 100 year old institute, chartered in the United Kingdom, is an international organisation that maintains same global standard, content and curriculum ,thereby making its members fit for any job in the transportation systems anywhere in the world.
Usoro, a former Managing Director of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), said CILT, with presence in over 133 countries, has been at the forefront of shaping logistics and transportation globally.
“The structure of CILT ensures that the same international standards are applied across all member countries.
“We carry out global audit of our curriculum content in order to ensure that we uphold sound professionalism and quality befitting the sector.”
The CILT president highlighted how the Institute’s certification helped members secure jobs and academic placements abroad.
 She also stressed the organisation’s ongoing involvement in national advocacy, including its significant contributions to the National Transport Policy formulation, adding that the institute is ready to collaborate with the corporation in training its workforce.
In his response, Opeifa affirmed NRC’s readiness for the conference.
While accepting the fellowship, he reaffirmed NRC’s commitment to promoting professional standards of its workforce.
“We recognise the value of CILT and the role it plays in strengthening logistics and transportation.
” As a major player in the rail sector, we must ensure that professionals with requisite training in the sector begin to manage our mobility systems,” he said.
According to him, the Corporation is proud to have sound local engineers and  other professionals who can hold their own against their contemporaries anywhere in the world, adding that just as its civil engineers could readily lay tracks, the mechanical engineers can work on any engines and repurpose any equipment for the benefit of Nigerians.
Under his leadership, the corporation is encouraging all states that has the rail assets in their territories to invest in the rail sector for the use of Nigerians.
Under the initiative which he tagged railing with the States, several states are already indicating interest in partnering with the NRC in rejuvenating the legacy train service.
On cargo services, Dr Opeifa said the corporation has invigorated cargo movements to and from the ports with the reactivation of three new lines to Apapa Ports for cargo movement to Ibadan, while efforts are ongoing to link Ilorin, and beyond.
“Presently as facilitator of trade, we have brought new life into cargo movement, in what we have termed freight revolution as it is now common to see simultaneous cargo movements on both sides the narrow and standard gauges,” Dr Opeifa said.
On what the NRC under him has been doing on passenger services, Dr Opeifa said the corporation is determined to improve passenger/customer experience by improving the ambience of all its coaches, especially on the narrow gauge to change the perception of the people and make train service a viable alternative as a mode of transportation.
The NRC boss said the corporation’s conference coach is available for the CILT to hold its board meeting.
“We invite you to make use of our conference coach for your next board meeting. You could charter it and hold your meetings on the train, giving your board members an unforgettable view of the beautiful countryside between Lagos to Abeokuta, or to Ibadan.
” It would be another unique experience for members of your board,” he said.
The NRC management team in attendance include directors of corporate planning,  administration, legal, civil engineering, among others, while CILT was represented by high-ranking fellows and industry experts.
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Analyses

The invisible toll gates:Why National Single Window is Nigeria’s ultimate economic battleground

Monday Discourse with  Ibrahim Nasiru
Walk into any market in Nigeria today, from the commercial hubs of Lagos to the roadside stalls in Yola, and ask why a bag of rice or an imported spare part costs three times what it did last year.
The typical public commentator will blame global inflation, floating currencies, or macro-economic shocks.
But those who understand logistics know the real truth lies buried under layers of paper, manual stamps, and artificial delays at our seaports.
Nigeria’s international trade is suffocating not from a lack of deep water, but from a deliberate design of convenience.
The recent operational rollout of the National Single Window (NSW) has triggered behind-the-scenes panic among Port cartels, and for good reason.
For decades, keeping our clearing processes fragmented, manual, and dependent on desk-to-desk human interaction was the perfect business model for syndicates.
When cargo dwell times drag on for 21 days, those delays are money in the pockets of the gatekeepers and a death sentence for local businesses.
Let us look at the raw field realities. The push by the Nigeria Customs Service to aggressively crash clearance times down to global 48-hour standards is meeting fierce internal resistance.
Why? Because a unified digital ecosystem means you cannot easily manipulate documentation, hide illicit cargo, or demand “mobilization fees” before signing off a container.
The outcry and protests from certain freight-forwarding syndicates aren’t about technical glitches; they are about the sudden closure of invisible toll gates.
This is exactly why governance at our national gateways can no longer be left to the mercy of transactional bureaucratic habits.
Building deep-sea infrastructure like Lekki Port is a massive physical achievement, but concrete and cranes are useless if the administrative processes at the gate remain backward.
 Real structural reform requires turning our Ports into automated, friction-free pipelines that prioritize production over rent-seeking.
If Nigeria wants to survive this fiscal squeeze, the National Single Window cannot just be treated as another glossy IT project launched in Abuja.
 It requires unyielding administrative enforcement to completely dismantle the corrupt cartels managing the manual desk chains.
The invisible toll gates at our Ports must be completely demolished, and that exact same structural discipline must be scaled across our border stations and trade corridors.
The era of managing international trade with 20th-century paper trails is dying. The future belongs to the builders of automated, transparent systems.
Chief Ibrahim Nasiru, a public affairs analyst,  writes from Abuja 
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Headlines

NANTA Exco embarks on seven-day Ghana retreat, fam trip to deepen regional tourism partnership

Gloria Odion, Reporter

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) has commenced a seven-day executive retreat and familiarisation (fam) trip to Ghana, hosted by Safari World, as part of efforts to strengthen regional tourism partnerships and expand cross-border travel opportunities.

The NANTA delegation was received at Safari World Homes in Accra by the Chairman of the Safari World Group, Mr. Ernest Gyekye, who expressed delight at hosting the Nigerian travel trade leaders.

He assured the delegation of a memorable experience throughout their week-long stay.

Speaking on the significance of the visit, NANTA President, Mr. Yinka Folami, described the retreat and familiarisation tour as a strategic initiative aimed at fostering stronger business relationships and promoting collaborative tourism development across Africa.

“This mission is not a leisure trip,” Folami said. “It is a deliberate step to implement and expand our association’s marketing advocacy for Nigerian brands across borders.”

He noted that Nigeria and Ghana share deep historical, cultural and commercial ties that should be leveraged to drive tourism growth on the continent.

“Nigeria and Ghana share history, culture, trade and people. The future of our tourism cannot be built in silos,” he said.

“This retreat is about moving from policy to practice—creating real products, real partnerships and real movement of travellers between Accra and Lagos.”

As part of the programme, the NANTA executives will engage in strategic business-to-business (B2B) meetings with their Ghanaian counterparts, tour key tourism destinations under the Safari World brand, and participate in cultural exchange activities designed to promote stronger bilateral tourism cooperation.

The itinerary spans Safari World’s three flagship destinations, including Safari Homes in Accra, the Aqua Safari riverfront experience, Safari Island Cruise, Safari Nautica, and Safari Recreation and Sports facilities in Ada, as well as the Safari Valley Eco Resort and Safari Eco Park in Dawu.

Operating under the brand promise, “One World, Three Destinations, Over 20 Unique Experiences,” Safari World is leveraging the visit to strengthen its footprint in the Nigerian travel market while positioning Ghana as a premier destination for leisure tourism, conferences, group travel, family holidays and premium tourism experiences.

A major highlight of the visit will be the Executive Dinner scheduled for July 21 at the Safari Valley Eco Resort, where key stakeholders from Nigeria and Ghana’s tourism industries will deliberate on strategies for deepening travel trade and advancing regional tourism development.

The familiarisation tour is expected to provide NANTA’s leadership with first-hand knowledge of Safari World’s tourism offerings, paving the way for the development of attractive travel packages and stronger business partnerships that will benefit Nigerian travellers and the wider West African tourism industry.

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Customs

Ogun Customs spurns claims of Smugglers’ takeover of Idiroko–Sango Ota trading Route

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has dismissed as false reports alleging that smugglers had taken over the Idiroko–Sango Ota trading route in Ogun State, describing the claims as a deliberate misrepresentation of a traffic incident.
In a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs (SC) Chado, the Command clarified that the traffic gridlock on the route resulted from the breakdown of an articulated commercial trailer after it fell into a badly deteriorated section of Atan Road, temporarily obstructing the free flow of traffic.
According to the Command, the vehicles caught in the ensuing congestion were legitimate commercial trucks transporting red palm oil to various local markets and had no connection whatsoever with smuggling activities.
It explained that the large number of heavy-duty trucks trapped in the gridlock may have led some members of the public to wrongly conclude that smugglers had taken over the road.
“The reports that smugglers blocked the road are inaccurate. The disruption resulted from a road accident and poor road conditions. The vehicles involved were lawful commercial vehicles transporting red palm oil for legitimate trade,” Chado stated.
The Command urged journalists, social media users and the general public to verify information before disseminating reports capable of creating unnecessary panic or undermining public confidence in security agencies.
Observers within the border trade sector noted that the allegation does not reflect the prevailing security situation within the Ogun I Area Command, where anti-smuggling operations have been intensified under the leadership of the Acting Customs Area Controller, Comptroller O.O. Afeni.
Since assuming office, Comptroller Afeni has strengthened intelligence-driven surveillance, enhanced collaboration with other security agencies and host communities, and sustained pressure on economic saboteurs operating along the Ogun border corridors.
These measures, according to stakeholders, have resulted in significant seizures of prohibited goods and reinforced the Command’s resolve to safeguard Nigeria’s economy and territorial integrity.
Maritime and border trade stakeholders also cautioned against the spread of unverified information capable of undermining the efforts of security personnel or creating a false impression of lawlessness in border communities.
They stressed that while combating smuggling remains an ongoing responsibility, responsible and accurate reporting is equally critical to ensuring that operational achievements are not overshadowed by misinformation.
The Ogun I Area Command reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining its anti-smuggling campaign while facilitating legitimate cross-border trade in line with the statutory mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service.

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