Business

Council Of Forwarders Lifts Suspension On Members

Published

14 years ago

December 13, 2011

Chairman Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) Alhaji Hakeem Olanrewaju said on Sunday in Abuja the council was prepared to re-admit members suspended on account of professional misconduct.

Olanrewaju said the suspended members would join the council after some conditions had been met.

The council suspended three of its members in September 2011 following what it described as ‘anti-council activities’ inimical to the sustainable growth of CRFFN.

Olanrewaju said the CRFFN Act 16 of 2007 which established the council was meant to standardise the business of freight forwarding and ensure that practitioners complied with the relevant portions of the Act.

He said the council’s goal was to attain international best practices in freight forwarding because “all we are doing are within international borders and within trade.

Olanrewaju said this was why the council made all efforts and got registered as a member of the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association (FIATA).

He explained that FIATA was the world body for regulating freight forwarding, just as FIFA regulates football.

“The benefits we have there are training, interacting with other members in other countries; easy access. I think those are the benefits.

“Nigeria has been applying for almost 19 years, because we have different associations, but most cannot meet their requirements in becoming a member.

“But, fortunately, in 2007, when the council was formed, we applied to FIATA.

“Before then they said they have written to the government that we have multiple associations writing to FIATA to be a member and they want, like other countries having only one association speaking with one voice being a member.

“By 2007 and after we were inaugurated in 2008, we put in our application and they go through it and they say they still want a letter from the government to confirm if we are genuinely the freight forwarders that speak with one voice and represent the interest of the country which the minister of transport then did and we were admitted in Bangkok in 2009.’’

In his remarks, Mr. Mike Jukwe, Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of the council said that the Federal Government had confirmed the council as one of its statutory agencies.

Jukwe said that the confirmation announced by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, lay to rest controversies over the status of the council.

“This controversy had trailed the council right from the time the Act was passed.

“But quite recently a Federal High Court in Lagos the court in its ruling said clearly that CRFFN is a public institution.

“And we had cause to seek an interpretation from the Honorable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and he also wrote back and said going through the Act enabling your council and he concluded by saying that CRFFN is a statutory regulatory agency of government under the direction of the Federal Ministry of Transport.

“So that controversy has been put to rest.’’

On funding, he said the council was being funded 100 per cent by the Federal Government from the federation account.

According to him, Section 10 of the CRFFN Act states clearly that the council submits its budget to the Federal Ministry of Transport.

Jukwe explained that the budget would go through legislative processes and the Appropriation Act would be passed.

He added that the Federal Ministry of Transport also set up a committee to explore ways the council could raise funds.

The Registrar said areas of transaction charges and practicing fees were fashioned out by the ministry so that the council would be able to have enough funds for maintenance and to also to contribute to the federation account.

According to him, Section 10 of the CRFFN Act states clearly that the council submits its budget to the Federal Ministry of Transport.

Jukwe explained that the budget would go through legislative processes and the Appropriation Act would be passed.

He added that the Federal Ministry of Transport also set up a committee to explore ways the council could raise funds.

“We are also working a university in the UK to see if we can come up with courses, because as long as we are training people professionally we also have to train people academically those that will go round again to train the professionals.

“So we are looking at the possibility of coming up with a B. Sc, M. Sc and PhD in freight forwarding; these will be introduced for the first time in this country, they are not offered at all.

Jukwe noted that all academic and professional programmes would have to be approved by the International Federation of freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA).

He said that the council would continue to encourage those who had low academic and professional qualifications to upgrade, while it worked out modalities for admitting new members.

He said the council gradually raise the bar for admission of practitioners in the sector to a level universally acceptable and as obtainable in the other professions in the country.

Jukwe emphasised that the future of freight forwarding in Nigeria was in Nigeria was in the training of practitioners both academically and professionally.

The council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria was established by the CRFFN Act No. 16 of 2007 as practitioners’ regulatory council.

Business

Agency Gives Insight Into Its Inspection, Monitoring Operations

Published

2 weeks ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Director, South South Zone National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmacist Chujwuma P.Oligbu has said its thorough implementation of its core mandate of monitoring has no link with witch-hunting or fault finding as perceived at some quarters.

Oligbu, made this known when he spoke as as guest at the maiden Rivers state Supermarkets stakeholders’ Seminar/Workshop in Port Harcourt recently.

Rather, he said they were mere opportunities for education, correction and continuous improvement.

The Agency’s South South Boss, noted that Supermarket operators who maintain transparent records, cooperate during inspections, and promptly address identified gaps demonstrate professionalism and commitment to public health standard.

He listed the deserving essence of supermarket operation to include the key aspects of supermarket operation that deserves emphasis is product sourcing.

“Supermarkets must ensure that all regulated products stocked on their shelves are duly registered with NAFDAC and sourced from legitimate manufacturers or distributors”, he said .

According to him, the presence of unregistered, expired, counterfeit, or improper labelled products undermines consumer confidence and poses serious health risks.

He pointed out that such has the likelihood of exposeing supermarket operators to legal sanctions that could damage their reputation and financial stability.

The NAFDAC Operator, further enlightened the participants that mere registration of a particular product with the Federal agency do not guarantee absolute consumption safety.

“Temperature control, cleanliness, pest control, stock rotation, and proper shelving are not optional practice; they are essential components of compliance”, he said.

The South South zonal director also told the operators of supermarket that their employees rotine training on the basis of the product they display for sale is of utmost importance.

In her presentation a Breast Milk Nutrition Expert , Professor Alice Nte of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), was against the body’s prime attention to breast milk substitute or baby milk in supermarkets as well as its advertisement or promotion.

Nye jerked up the importance of mothers breast milk to the newborn baby and added that it help in fighting against childhood diseases, infections and combating cancer in breastfeeding mothers.

Meanwhile, NAFDAC Deputy Director, South – South Zone , Mrs. Riter Chujwuma educated the participants on the guidelines for global listing, and the need to adhere strictly to rules guiding global listing to avoid confiscation of their imported products.

By: King Onunwor

Business

BVN Enrolments Rise 6% To 67.8m In 2025 — NIBSS

Published

2 weeks ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has said that Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolments rose by 6.8 per cent year-on-year to 67.8 million as at December 2025, up from 63.5 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.

In a statement published on its website, NIBSS attributed the growth to stronger policy enforcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the expansion of diaspora enrolment initiatives.

According to the data, more than 4.3 million new BVNs were issued within the one-year period, underscoring the growing adoption of biometric identification as a prerequisite for accessing financial services in Nigeria.

NIBSS noted that the expansion reinforces the BVN system’s central role in Nigeria’s financial inclusion drive and digital identity framework.

Analysts linked the growth largely to regulatory measures by the CBN, particularly the directive to restrict or freeze bank accounts without both a BVN and National Identification Number (NIN), which took effect from April 2024.

The policy compelled many customers to regularise their biometric records to retain access to banking services.

Another major driver, the statement said, was the rollout of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative, which allows Nigerians in the diaspora to obtain a BVN remotely without physical presence in the country.

The programme has been widely regarded as a milestone in integrating the diaspora into Nigeria’s formal financial system.

A five-year analysis by NIBSS showed consistent growth in BVN enrolments, rising from 51.9 million in 2021 to 56.0 million in 2022, 60.1 million in 2023, 63.5 million in 2024 and 67.8 million by December 2025. The steady increase reflects stronger compliance with biometric identity requirements and improved coverage of the national banking identity system.

However, NIBSS noted that BVN enrolments still lag the total number of active bank accounts, which exceeded 320 million as of March 2025.

The gap, it explained, is largely due to multiple bank accounts linked to single BVNs, as well as customers yet to complete enrolment, despite the progress recorded.

Business

AFAN Unveils Plans To Boost Food Production In 2026

Published

2 weeks ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The leadership of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has set the tone for the new year with a renewed focus on food security, unity and long-term growth of the agricultural sector.

The association announced that its General Assembly of Farmers Congress will take place from January 15 to 17, 2026 at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industries, along Lugbe Airport Road, in the Federal Capital Territory.

The gathering is expected to bring together farmers, policymakers, investors and development partners to shape a fresh direction for Nigerian agriculture.

In a New Year address to members and stakeholders, AFAN president, Dr Farouk Rabiu Mudi, said the congress would provide a strategic forum for reviewing past challenges and outlining practical solutions for the future.

He explained that the event would serve as a rallying point for innovation, collaboration and economic renewal within the sector.

Mudi commended farmers across the country for their determination and hard work, despite years of insecurity, climate-related pressures and economic uncertainty.

According to him, their resilience has kept food production alive and positioned agriculture as a stabilising force in the national economy.

He noted that AFAN intends to build on this strength by resetting agribusiness operations to improve productivity and sustainability.

The AFAN leader appealed to government institutions, private investors and development organisations to deepen their engagement with the association.

He stressed the need for collective action to confront persistent issues such as insecurity in farming communities, climate impacts and market instability.

He also urged members to put aside internal disputes and personal interests, encouraging cooperation and shared responsibility in pursuit of national development.

Mudi outlined key priorities that include increasing food output, expanding support for farmers at the grassroots and strengthening local manufacturing through partnerships with both domestic and international investors adding that reducing dependence on imports remains critical to protecting the economy and creating jobs.

He stated that the upcoming congress will feature the launch of AFAN’s twenty-five-year agricultural mechanisation roadmap, alongside the announcement of new partnerships designed to accelerate growth across the value chain.

Participants, he said wi also have opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange aimed at transforming agriculture into a more competitive and technology-driven sector.

As part of its modernisation drive, AFAN is further encouraging members nationwide to enrol for the newly introduced Digital ID Card.

Mudi said the initiative will improve transparency, ensure proper farmer identification and make it easier to access support programmes and services.

Reaffirming the association’s long-term goal, he said the vision of national food sufficiency by 2030 remains achievable if unity and collaboration are sustained.

He expressed optimism that with collective effort, Nigeria’s agricultural sector can overcome its challenges and deliver a more secure and prosperous future.

Lady Usendi