Business
Council Decries Rejection Of Professional Operating Fees
The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) has expressed worry over the refusal of members of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLLA) to pay Professional Operating Fees (POF).
Registrar of the council, Sir Mike Jukwe, expressed this worry at a meeting with ANLLA in Port Harcourt, recently.
Jukwe stated that without the cooperation of the association, it would be difficult to collect the operating fees at seaports, airports and borders.
According to him, the position of ANLLA on the matter has stated the collection of POF.
The registrar appealed to the Customs agents and enjoined the association to reconsider their position.
In a recent development, the Customs agents association had accused the CRFFN registrar and the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, of violating a Federal High Court order, which directed that the status quo be maintained pending determination of a suit instituted by the association.
ANLLA had complained that the fees were too high and would raise the cost of doing business at the ports to exorbitant levels.
The freight regulatory council is expected to generate N10 billion yearly from the N1,000 fee imposed on every imported 20-foot container and N2,000 on every 40-foot container, while N1,000 would be collected per truck load of general cargo, N500 per imported car and N1,000 on other types of imported vehicles.
Tonye Nria-Dappa
“Payment of tuition fees for undergraduate/postgraduate studies shall be subject to a maximum limit of $25,000.00 per semester,” the Manual states.
The expansion of international card limits also reflects growing confidence among lenders that foreign exchange liquidity has improved enough to support retail dollar transactions.
Speaking recently at the BusinessDay 14th Annual CEO Forum in Lagos, CBN Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the CBN said buying and selling activities now increasingly determine outcomes in the foreign exchange market, unlike in the past when market participants relied heavily on routine Central Bank interventions.
According to Cardoso, Nigeria’s net foreign exchange reserves have risen from just over $3 billion at the start of the reform programme to more than $40 billion, while gross reserves have climbed to about $52 billion, providing stronger confidence for investors and enabling the Central Bank to reserve interventions for periods of market stress rather than day-to-day liquidity management.
The restoration and expansion of international naira card spending limits are increasingly being seen as one of the clearest signs that the benefits of the CBN’s foreign exchange reforms are beginning to reach households, students and businesses making legitimate cross-border payments.
The Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer, WEC, Dr Angela Wilkinson, disclosed this in a statement, last Thursday.
“Nigeria’s participation comes at a pivotal time as the country seeks to expand energy access, strengthen energy security, accelerate gas development and mobilise the capital required for industrialisation and sustainable economic growth.
“WEC Nigeria will convene leaders from across the energy ecosystem, apply the WEC’s globally recognised Energy Trilemma framework to Nigeria’s unique context, and promote evidence-based dialogue, practical collaboration and informed policymaking.
“It will also ensure that Nigerian and broader African perspectives contribute meaningfully to global energy conversations,” she said.
Wilkinson expressed confidence that Nigeria would play a significant leadership role at the World Energy Congress scheduled for Riyadh in April 2027 and beyond.
The statement also quoted the Chairman of WEC Nigeria, Isa, as describing the country’s participation as an opportunity to deepen national and African leadership within the global energy community through practical solutions tailored to regional development priorities.
He said the platform would promote collaboration across sectors and attract sustainable investments into Nigeria’s energy sector.
The Chief Executive Officer of WEC Nigeria, Wunti, was quoted in the statement as saying that the council would connect leadership, evidence and investment to build a secure, affordable and sustainable energy system.
“This system will be capable of driving economic growth and shared prosperity.”
According to him, the platform will also connect Nigerian institutions and businesses with international knowledge, technology, partnerships and investment opportunities through the World Energy Council’s global network.
Recall that WEC, founded in 1923, is the world’s oldest independent and impartial community of energy leaders and practitioners, advancing informed, collaborative and practical action across the global energy system.