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We don’t know the accrued amount from POF, the Consultant is not transparent with us— CRFFN cries out

Funso OLOJO 
The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) has accused the unnamed consultant handling the collection of the controversial Practitioners Operating Fee (POF) of lack of transparency and being secretive about the amount so far collected.
The Registrar of the Council, Mr Kingsley Igwe, raised the alarm on Tuesday, July 8th, 2025 while reacting to the Court judgement which nullified the collection of the fees.
According to the Registrar, the Council does not know the amount so far collected from the POF because ” the Consultant is not transparent to declare the amount to us”
“We are trying to know how much has accrued from POF because the collection of the fee is not directly under the control of the council” Igwe declared.
” We engaged a consultant and the consultant is in the best position to give us a clear account of how much they have collected on POF.
” As we speak, the council does not have the figure of the amount and we have been demanding for it from the consultants and they have not been transparent enough to declare how much they have collected.
” It is still on their table to let the public know how much they have collected from POF because it is not supposed to be secret.
” Today, am still establishing we need to know how much” the CRFFN Registrar insisted.
It could be recalled that the collection of POF started in phases from the seaports in 2020 before it was graduated introduced to the airport and the border posts.
The collection commenced during the tenure of the immediate substative Registrar, Barrister Samuel Nwakohu who’s tenure was enmeshed with allegations of financial impropriety.
The collection of POF was gazetted by the Federal government in March 2015 but it’s collection was delayed due to disagreement among the five registered freight forwarding association over sharing formula.

The POF are collectable on all cargoes entering into and exiting the country through land, air and sea.

In the scale of payable fees, one kilogramme of airfreight cargo will attract a fee of N2.00.

However, for sea freight cargo, a 20ft container will attract N1,000, 40ft will attract N2,000. Similarly, car and SUVs will pay N500, while 20ft trucks and 40ft truck will attract a fee of N1,000 and N2,000 respectively.

Similarly, general cargo will attract a fee of N3.50 per ton, while dry bulk cargo will attract a fee of N1.00 per ton, even as it was stated that fees in respect of wet cargoes are negotiable.

In the 2015 gazette, there was provision for sharing by all the parties, including the CRFFN, the five registered freight forwarders and registered freight forwarding companies.

The CRFFN is to collect 60 per cent of the revenue, the five registered associations will share 35 per cent, while the registered companies that handled the cargo will share the remaining 5 per cent, calculated by the volume or cargo they account for.

The gazette specifically states that “CRFFN collects 60% Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), the Associations will collect 35% as provided by the CRFFN Act (Accreditation of Associations of Freight Forwarders) Regulation,2010. The Registered Freight Forwarder/Licensed Customs Agent (RFF/LCA) is entitled to 5% of the Practitioners’ Operating Fee which will be collected by the CRFFN and remitted to the concerned RFF/LCA”

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Customs

Customs exempts raw materials, machineries, parts,  project cargo, humanitarian aids,aircraft parts from 4 percent FOB charge 

Funso OLOJO
In a rare gesture of magnanimity and desire to stimulate the economy, the Nigeria Customs Service has granted concessions to manufacturers who engage in importation of raw materials, machineries and their parts, government projects and humanitarian aids.
This category of manufacturers will be exempted from paying the controversial 4 percent Free-on- Board (FOB)charge.
Included in the concession are commercial aircraft parts, beneficiaries of the presidential initiative for unlocking healthcare value chain.
These measures were the fall- out of a long- drawn consultation and engagement between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria( MAN) held in Lagos on Friday, September 26th, 2025.
The  Comptroller- General of Customs,  Adewale Adeniyi, led a team of high- powered Customs High command to the National Secretariat of MAN whose team was led by the President of the association, Otunba Francis Meshioye.
Reading the agreement signed by Adeniyi on behalf of the NCS and Otunba Francis Meshioye of MAN, the CGC disclosed that the special concession on the select manufacturers was made by the Customs in consultation with the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun.
Giving the details of the exemptions, Adeniyi clarified that the concession was meant for the category of manufacturers who engage in the importation of the exempted cargoes.
“Nigeria Customs Service announced that following consultation with the Honourable Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, approval has been granted for strategic exemptions from the 4% FOB charges on the following, among others:
“Importation of raw materials, spares, and machines by the manufacturers who are beneficiaries of concessions contained in Chapters 98 and 99 of the Customs Tariff,
“Manufacturers who are currently on chapters 98 and 99 are advised to apply for pre-release of the consignment to avoid payment of demurrage.
“In addition, members of MAN who import raw materials, machines, and spares that are not currently on chapters 98 and 99 to be onboarded in order to enjoy the exemptions provided in 5(i) above.
“MAN, NCS, and the Federal Ministry of Finance will work together for the inclusion of manufacturers that are currently not on chapters 98 end 99.
“An immediate tripartite consultation of the Federal Ministry of Finance, NCS, and MAN would be held immediately to work out the modalities for expedited onboarding of manufacturers on chapters 98 and 99” Adeniyi explained.
He further disclosed that the 4% FOB payments already made by manufacturers who are yet to be onboarded to chapters 98 and 99 will be held as credit and be utilized for future customs-related transactions after their onboarding.
The CGC further listed the category of the beneficiaries of the special exemption to include government projects with Import Duty Exemptions Certificates, goods imports for Humanitarian, Life Saving and other related purposes and beneficiaries of the Presidential Initiative for unlocking Healthcare value chain as well as commercial airlines’ spare parts.
Adeniyi had disclosed that the recent suspension of the 4 percent FOB by the Ministry of Finance has opened a new vista of opportunity to make wider consultations and engagements with relevant stakeholders such as MAN, the outcome of which he said were the special exemption granted some category of manufacturers.
The concession has addressed the concerns of the manufacturers in the areas of the increasing cost of production which the 4 percent FOB will engender.
MAN through its President, Otunba Francis Meshioye, has also raised concerns on multiple checkpoints as threat to trade facilitation, multiple alerts in the clearance system and the B’Odogwu platform glitches.
However, the Customs helmsman said the service has developed robust policies that would engender seamless clearance procedures at the port.
“The Nigeria Customs briefed MAN on the various trade facilitation initiatives undertaken by the Service.
 “This includes the Economic Operator Programme (AEO), Advance Ruling, and Time Release Study.
“NCS, during the dialogue, expressed strong commitment to balancing its revenue generation mandate with innovative trade facilitation measures” the CGC assured.
” Beyond existing exemptions, discussions focused on additional trade facilitation initiatives being implemented by the Nigeria Customs Service to support manufacturing operations.
“These include the development of one-stop shop frameworks designed to streamline regulatory processes and eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks, systematic reduction of unnecessary checkpoints that add costs without corresponding value, and integration of digital solutions to accelerate legitimate trade processing as well as maintain security standards.
 “The Service also outlined initiatives aimed at providing real-time clearance capabilities and automated risk assessment systems that reduce compliance costs for legitimate operators” Adeniyi concluded.
However, both parties agreed to comply with the terms and conditions of the agreement and pledge to sustain the consultation for the mutual benefits of the two parties and the Nigeria’s economy in general.
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International encomiums pour in on Dakuku as two global literary icons endorse his book

Funso OLOJO 
Commendations  have continued to trail the release of ” Leading in a Storm”,  the latest book on Leadership by Dr Dakuku Peterside, the former Director – General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The latest endorsement came in from two international iconic figures,
Philipp Humm, the author of  bestseller books and Professor Andrew Sykes, a professor at the Kellogg School of Management and CEO, founder of Habitats at Work.
The duo commended Dr Dakuku’s book which they described as a masterpiece on Leadership.
Their endorsements underscore the book as an essential guide for leaders navigating real turbulence—appropriate for boardrooms, cabinet meetings, and high-pressure operational environments that require quick decisions based on incomplete information.
According to Philip Humm “Navigate chaos with confidence. This leadership guide provides powerful insights, stories, and tools for leaders to adapt, think creatively, and lead effectively during unpredictable times.”
Prof. Andrew Sykes supports this assertion, adding, “Leading is challenging even in the best circumstances.
“Leading during chaos demands a completely different skill set: a clear mind and a process for steering your team and your organisation toward calmer waters.
“This book offers perfect guidance, complete with anecdotes and stories illustrating its points. Given that we frequently transition from one crisis to another, this book is essential reading for the modern leader.”
“Leading in a Storm” serves as a practical roadmap through chaos, teaching leaders how to quickly interpret context, manage complexity, and communicate calmly and credibly when the stakes are high.
“The book does not idealise crises but equips leaders to balance speed with sound judgment, principles with pragmatism, and urgency with disciplined learning.
 Sykes and Humm highlight its unique blend of clarity and practical frameworks that can be implemented immediately, a language that resonates across sectors, and a leadership rhythm that maintains team alignment and confidence under pressure.
Building on the success of Dr Peterside’s earlier bestseller, “Strategic Turnaround: Story of a Government Agency,” this new book distils years of experience in public administration and transformation into key competencies for times of crisis.
It provides a playbook for leaders to convert confusion into priorities, turn meetings into actionable outcomes, and transform uncertainty into forward momentum—granting a sense of control and direction amid turbulent times.
Dr Peterside said if his book
“I wrote this as a practical companion for leaders who must perform even when the path isn’t clear.
“The goal is straightforward: to help people act with clarity, mobilise teams with purpose, and deliver results amid the storm.”
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Customs

Customs, MAN meet to resolve bottlenecks in clearing procedures at ports.

Funso OLOJO 
The Nigeria Customs Service has met with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria(MAN) to deliberate on the areas of friction and bottlenecks in the clearing process at the port with the aim of resolving them.
The two parties met on Friday, September 26th, 2025 when the President of MAN, Otunba Francis Meshioye played host to the Customs High command led by the Comptroller- General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, at the association’ s office in Ikeja, Lagos.
Otunba Meshioye had complained of the soffocating atmosphere created for his members by the re- introduction of the 4 percent Free-on- Board (FOB) on imports as well as what he described as the teething problems thrown up by the newly introduced indigenous customs trade portal, B’Odogwu.
He said that the purpose of engaging with the customs is to ensure these problems are resolved amicably to enable the manufacturers have seamless customs procedures at the port.
In his response, the Customs CG said the service recognized the importance of  manufacturing sector as the backbone of Nigeria’s industrial development, adding that the success of that sector directly connects to  the nation’s nation’s prosperity.
Adeniyi said the recent developments, particularly that of the Ministry of Finance directive, regarding the suspension of the 4% FOB charge, have opened pathways for deeper dialogue between the two institutions.
” While this charge exists as a legal provision under the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, effective implementation requires genuine consultations, like the ones we’re having today, with those that it impacts most directly.
” This process of consultation, therefore, balances fiscal responsibilities with industrial growth imperatives”
” Your voices matter, all our manufacturers, and your experience helps to shape our understanding of how customs procedures can either enable or constrain manufacturing excellence.
“The Nigeria Customs Service has consistently supported manufacturing through concrete initiatives that recognize the strategic importance of industrial competitiveness to our national economic objectives.
“Our support extends to structural trade facilitation improvements” he declared.
The CGC further disclosed that the service has concluded the process of developing a comprehensive framework for establishing one-stop shops that will revolutionize how manufacturers interact with customs and other regulatory agencies.
These initiatives, he noted, aim to eliminate bureaucratic processes that frustrate legitimate business operations as  customs continued to maintain robust security and compliance standards.
Adeniyi recalled some of the policies which the customs have implemented to further make clearing process seamless and less cumbersome
“We have also carried out systematic streamlining of checkpoints along our major highways, reducing unnecessary delays that hurt costs without adding value to revenue generation or our security outcomes” the CGC said.
” Digital transformations lies at the heart of our trade facilitation strategies.
“We have investments in systems like the B’ Odogwu platform that provide real-time clearance capabilities, automated risk assessments, and seamless integration with the supply chain system. Technology should eliminate friction in the supply chain.
“All of these technology initiatives complement our policy frameworks to create comprehensive support for manufacturing sector groups.
 “As we speak here, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we have commenced the integration of our B’ Odogwu system into the National Single Window Project, which is expected to come on stream in the first quarter of 2026.” the Customs helmsman declared.
Adeniyi outlined the role of customs which is to facilitate legitimate trade, as well as to continue to protect the nation’s borders and collect appropriate revenues.
He said the role of the manufacturer is to drive industrial production, create employment, and contribute to the  nation’s economic diversifications.
” These roles are complementary, and they require this kind of collaboration that we’re having to achieve optimal outcomes” the CGC concluded.
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