Business
Jonathan Seeks Professionalisation Of Freight Forwarding
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said there was an urgent need to professionalise freight forwarding to reduce congestion at the nation’s ports.
Jonathan said this at the opening of the Nigerian Maritime Expo (NIMAREX 2013), with the theme “Nigeria Maritime: Invest Now.’’
The President, who was represented by the Minister of Transport, Sen. Idris Umar, said that government was concerned about the congestion at the ports.
Jonathan said that the congestion was impacting negatively on the clearing and movement of cargoes.
“To this end, a stakeholders’ meeting was organised and it was observed that the freight forwarders need to professionalise their practice in accordance with the CRFFN Act 2007,’’ he said.
The president said that the maritime industry played a significant role in the global economy with over 90 per cent of world trade carried by sea.
According to him, Nigeria generates about 70 per cent of the ship traffic, cargo throughput and volume of trade in West and Central Africa sub-region.
Jonathan said that Nigeria’s volume of trade had steadily risen from 82 million tonnes of cargo in 2008 to 93.7 million tonnes in 2009 and 100 million tonnes in 2012.
He said 1.4 million containers were used in moving cargoes in 2012.
“The maritime industry is therefore, growing and will no doubt position Nigeria in no distant future as the maritime hub for Africa,’’ he said.
He commended the organisers of the exhibition for providing a forum for the display of various maritime products, new technologies and expertise.
“I hope that the holistic business experience that NIMAREX will offer through a combination of conferences and exhibition will avail investors the desired opportunities to explore the industry,’’ Jonathan said.
The Chairman of NIMAREX 2013 Planning Committee, Mrs Margaret Onyema-Orakwusi, said that the exhibition was an annual event to showcase the nation’s enormous maritime endowments to the world.
According to her, the Nigerian maritime industry is like a virgin land full of untapped natural resources.
Onyema-Orakwusi said the industry had the potential and opportunities to achieve rapid and sustainable development.
“This sector is endowed with vast natural resources such as extensive coastline, aquatic animals and oil and gas deposits.
“Nigeria as a country generates about 70 per cent of the ship traffic, cargo throughput and value of trade in West and Central African sub-region.
“All these natural and economic factors combined to create huge investment potential and opportunities in the maritime sector,’’ The Tide source quotes her as saying.
Onyema-Orakwusi urged the Federal Government to urgently intervene in security of the nation’s maritime domain and reduce the cost of doing business at the ports.
“It is our view that if these challenges are addressed, it will create a more congenial atmosphere for investments to thrive,’’ she said.
In his address, Chief Isaac Jolapamo, Chairman, Indigenous Ship owners Association of Nigeria (ISAN), noted that there were enormous untapped potential in the Nigerian maritime sector.
In a concerted effort to tackle racketeering and reduce inflated transportation costs in the Nigeria’s seaports, Trucks Transit Parks Ltd. (TTP) has trained Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders on the use of its Ètò electronic call-up system.
The training was held recently at Customs Processing Centre (CPC) Auditorium, Apapa, Lagos, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and supported by the leadership of the Joint Association of Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders (JALCAFF), Apapa Command.
Speaking at the event, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu expressed appreciation to TTP for facilitating the training and emphasized the need for customs agents to take personal ownership of the Ètò booking process.
“I want to thank TTP for this impactful training. I encourage all customs agents to begin doing their own bookings directly. By doing so, they can take back power from the unscrupulous elements exploiting their lack of knowledge, selling tickets at highly inflated prices,” Olomu declared.
He noted that empowering agents with hands-on training was key to dismantling racketeering networks that have plagued access to the ports and frustrated efficient logistics processes.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Apapa Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Chief Emeka Chukwumalu, said the engagement was critical to the ongoing push to reduce cargo transportation costs and ease business operations at the Apapa Port.
According to a freight forwarder, “The training is basically for us to have awareness of the operations of the Ètò call-up system through TTP. We also want to brainstorm on ways to reduce the high cost of cargo transportation in Apapa Port.
“This training opened our eyes to how simple it is to book tickets ourselves. We now know the right steps to follow and how to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.”
Earlier, Head of Operations at TTP, Mr. Irabor Akonoman, talked on common misconceptions about ticket pricing, reaffirming that the cost of Ètò bookings had remained consistent since its inception.
“The official price remains the same since inception. What people are paying higher amounts for is the manipulation by racketeers”.
Towards strengthening small businesses and promoting a more supportive regulatory environment, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) says it will hold the 2025 edition of its flagship MSMEs Fair on Tuesday (May 6, 2025).
The event, themed, “Galvanising MSMEs for Economic Growth and Stability”, will take place at NECA House in Lagos.
According to NECA’s Director-General, Mr Adewale Smatt Oyerinde, the fair seeks to provide micro, small, and medium enterprises with essential tools, resources, and strategic networks to thrive in Nigeria’s challenging business climate.
He emphasised the vital role MSMEs play in national development, describing them as the “lifeblood of Nigeria’s economy.”
Oyerinde noted that the fair is designed to offer entrepreneurs practical solutions to navigate economic uncertainties, regulatory hurdles, and business scalability issues.
A major attraction of this year’s event is the keynote address by the CEO of FATE Foundation, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, a prominent advocate for MSME development.
She is expected to share transformative insights on innovative strategies for sustaining and growing small businesses in Nigeria.
A unique feature of the fair will be interactive sessions with key regulatory bodies. Entrepreneurs will engage directly with agencies responsible for licensing, compliance, taxation, and business registration.
NECA said these sessions aim to demystify bureaucratic processes and foster a more enabling business environment.
It also said the fair will provide a platform for entrepreneurs to exhibit their products and services, connect with potential investors, and explore new markets.
It added that participants would gain critical knowledge on digital transformation, access to finance, and strategies for sustainable business growth.
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· NECA stressed that the fair aligns with its broader mission of promoting enterprise development and economic resilience.
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· “By empowering MSMEs with the right support and information, the organisation aims to stimulate job creation, innovation, and long-term economic stability”, NECA said.
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· The 2025 MSMEs Fair is expected to attract a wide range of stakeholders, including financiers, tech experts, regulators, and industry leaders, all united in advancing the growth of Nigeria’s MSME sector.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, says over two million passengers have been transported on the Blue Line Rail since its launch, while state-run buses move an average of 42,000 commuters daily.
Osiyemi, who disclosed this during the Year 2025 Ministerial press briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, on Tuesday, noted that the Lagos State Transport Policy, launched in May 2024, was now in its implementation phase, focusing on inclusivity, safety, affordability, and sustainability.
“On rail development, Phase One of the Blue Line (Marina to Mile 2) has served over two million passengers, with Phase Two (Mile 2 to Okokomaiko) in progress.
“Phase One of the Red Line (Agbado to Oyingbo) is now operational with eight stations and additional rolling stocks procured, while Phase two (Oyingbo to link Blue Line at National Theatre) is underway”, he said.
The Commissioner said in the state-owned bus operations, over 60 million commuters have been served since 2019, with daily ridership exceeding 40,000.
He also said plans were on to deploy new buses with Quality Bus Corridors under construction, adding that the Abule=Egba Bus Terminal had also been commissioned.
“For water transport, 15 locally-built Omibus Ferries have been launched and are in operation, with the Ijegun Egba Terminal now open.
“The OMI EKO project, in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), will deliver 25 terminals and 78 electric ferries.
“Over 280,000 passengers have used ferry services in the past year, and 12 boats have been upgraded to meet safety standards”, he said.
On road infrastructure and traffic management, the Commissioner said 49 junction improvement projects had been completed, including ongoing ones at Ikorodu, Iju, as well as Allen-Opebi-Toyin axis.
He added that solar-powered Traffic Signal Lights, road markings covering 67.9km, new medians, laybys, and 3,941 parking lots had also been provided.
Additionally, Osiyemi announced that the deployed Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras had detected over 470,000 traffic violations and that the Vehicle Inspection Service issued over one million roadworthiness certificates.
He also said that the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute trained more than 32,000 drivers in the past 13 months.
The event marked the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term, showcasing major strides in the transport sector under the THEMES+ agenda.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos