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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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Headlines

NIMASA deploys Deep Blue attack vessel to foil attempted piracy incident in the Gulf of Guinea 

Funso Olojo 
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA), had on Thursday August 28th, 2025, deployed one of the Special Mission Vessels under the Deep Blue Project, DB LAGOS, to foil an attempted pirate attack in the Gulf of Guinea.
According to a statement from NIMASA management, at 20:53hrs on Thursday, August 28, 2025, the C4i Centre of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) received an alert from the Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade (MDAT) Gulf of Guinea Watchkeepers regarding an attempted boarding of the Malta-flagged chemical tanker, ENDO PONENTE, at position 05°10’N, 001°23’E, close to Lome Port, Togo.

Intelligence gathered from the C4i Centre later placed the vessel at 04°19’16”N, 01°35’59”E, within Ghana’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

The NIMASA Special Mission Vessel DB Lagos, operated by the Nigerian Navy under the Deep Blue Project, was immediately alerted and is currently closing in on the distressed vessel.

The crew have retreated to the Citadel in line with international best practice for ship security.

NIMASA said it was actively coordinating with the Nigerian Navy and other regional maritime security agencies to ensure the safety of the crew and to support ongoing investigations into the incident.

Commenting on the development, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, reaffirmed the Agency ’s commitment to regional maritime security cooperation.

“NIMASA remains committed to strengthening security collaboration across the Gulf of Guinea to safeguard seafarers, deter criminal activity, and ensure safer maritime trade, leveraging on the Deep Blue Project.”

The ENDO PONENTE, a moderate-risk Maltese-flagged chemical tanker, generally operates across West, Central, and Southern African regions.

Its last port call was at Kalamu, Democratic Republic of Congo.
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Headlines

NIMASA pledges support for MWUN to build modern Seafarers’ recreational centre at Apapa

— as Comrade Bunu reiterates importance of biometric ID cards for dockworkers.
Funso OLOJO
The Director -General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA), Dr Dayo Mobereola, has pledged to support the aspiration of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria(MWUN) to build a befitting recreational centre for Seafarers in Apapa port environment.
Dr Mobereola made this commitment on Thursday, August 28th, 2025 when the Executives of the MWUN, led by its President – General, Comrade Francis Bunu, paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
Bunu had reminded the NIMASA DG of the long- standing partnership between the two bodies, especially the commitment of his predecessor towards building a recreational centre for Seafarers to relax after their long stay at sea.
Mobereola, who expressed happiness on the visit, recommitted NIMASA to the collaboration with MWUN, promising to ensure the recreational centre becomes a reality.
However, Comrade Bunu enjoined NIMASA DG to ensure speedy completion of biometric registration and identification cards to all the dockworkers and Seafarers in the country.
The maritime labour unionist reiterated the importance of the exercise which he believed will identify quacks among the  industry’s labour workers.
Bunu said the biometric exercise will restore sanity and security to the Port industry as there won’t be any case of theft, plifering and thuggery in the sector any longer.
Mobereola thanked the Union for the purposeful visit while congratulating Comrade Bunu for his landslide election victory, hoping to continue to witness a flourishing synergy between the two entities.
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Economy

Le Look Nigeria marks 40 years of ingenious local fabric branded bags on October 1st

Gloria Odion 
All is set to mark the 40 years anniversary of Le Look Nigeria Limited, makers of Le look Bags brands.
According to the founder and Chief Executive Officer(CEO), Chief Mrs. Chinwe Ezenwa, arrangements have been concluded to hold the event on October 1, 2025 at Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.
The event with morning and award night sessions is themed: “Legacy of Resilience: Empowering Entrepreneurs for Africa’s Economic Future.”
Ezenwa added:”Le Look 40th Anniversary is a milestone that celebrates resilience, creativity, and the power of Nigerian enterprise.
“Founded in 1985, Le Look has grown from a small women-led business into a proudly Nigerian manufacturer, exporting unique, locally crafted bags to international markets.
“Over four decades, we have stayed true to our mission of:
Strengthening local manufacturing;
creating jobs and transferring skills;
opening doors for women and youth in enterprise;
supporting Nigeria’s non-oil export drive and the AfCFTA agenda.
“This anniversary is more than a celebration—it is a call to sustain entrepreneurship in Africa’s fast-changing economy,” she noted.
With expected over 300 distinguished guests, including senior government officials, private sector leaders, development partners, and entrepreneurs across generations;
the day will feature keynote address and fireside conversations with veteran entrepreneurs as well as panel sessions on business longevity.
 Other features are African Continental Free Trade Agreement(AfCFTA) readiness;
Youth and women forums on inclusive business practices
Exhibitions by government and trade agencies will be part of the activities.
Le Look Nigeria Limited has grown to a global brand with the Le Look Bags Academy built in Abuja, Enugu and Lagos.
Le Look is a manufacturer of afro-centric luxury-life style branded bags inspired by African culture and sensibility.
These handbags are crafted from African prints in celebration of the rich African heritage with international and modern fashion flair.
The company offers multiple product categories, including ready-to-wear, handbags, Apple-support products and other carry-on unique and durable accessories.
“Our partnership with designers in Africa has catalysed the resurgence of retailing locally made goods across the continent,” Ezenwa said.
According to her,  “Through our studio in Lagos, we provide on- the-job training, school tuition and health care benefits.
“Our philosophy is simple-to be the first and foremost African luxury brand with global reach”, she added.
Over the years, Le Look Bags Academy has partnered  international and government institutions to promote trade and build capacities for the continent.
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) last year partnered  Le Look Nigeria Limited to boost Nigeria’s non-oil exports and empower local artisans, particularly women and youth in Lagos. This collaboration,  includes the launch of an export skills acquisition center and a fashion innovation hub to equip individuals with skills in bag-making and international trade to meet growing global demand for handcrafted bags.
Also, UNDP Nigeria  is in  partnership with Le Look Bags Academy, to launch a training program designed to equip unemployed youth with limited formal education, primarily women, with practical skills in bag-making as a sustainable livelihood mechanism.
Le Look Bags Academy serves as the leading hub for mastering bag-making and digital technology skills.
The academy provides a unique, personalized approach to equipping learners with the necessary skills to succeed in the dynamic global landscape.
Le Look Nigeria Limited is the first Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) to receive the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) certificate from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
As a certified AEO, Lelook benefits from trade facilitation, reduced costs, and improved efficiency in its export and import activities, supporting Nigeria’s goal of becoming a leading trade hub.
 Le Look Nigeria is No 0001 under the AFCFTA guided trade Initiative to receive the Certificate of Origin to trade across Africa
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