CRFFN, CBi, MACN Sign Landmark MoU to Boost Transparency, Cut Costs in Nigeria’s Logistics Ecosystem

The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), the Convention for Business Integrity (CBi), and the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at transforming freight forwarding operations and strengthening transparency across Nigeria’s ports and logistics corridors.

The Chief Executive Officer of CRFFN, Kingsley Igwe, described the MoU as a major leap toward improving efficiency, reducing costs, and sanitising the maritime business environment. He emphasised that the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu , who has prioritised port reforms as part of national economic restructuring.

Igwe noted that the current administration’s focus on ease of doing business championed through the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) and the Ports and Customs Efficiency Committee created the foundation for the new partnership.

He explained that the agreement will introduce digital tools designed to promote real time problem reporting, transparent operations, and quicker cargo movement across the logistics chain. These tools are expected to be used by all port users, including importers, exporters, freight forwarders, and government agencies, with the aim of eliminating bottlenecks, enhancing accountability, and helping regulators such as CRFFN monitor challenges as they occur.

Igwe stressed that the initiative is not targeted at witch hunting any individual or agency but at promoting fairness and eliminating hidden practices that inflate operational costs. He noted that when transactions lack transparency, justice becomes threatened, and the new system aims to address this concern by curbing both state and non state interference that often disrupts cargo movement.

He also highlighted the broader economic implications, stating that a more transparent logistics chain will ultimately reduce the cost of goods on the market and improve the welfare of citizens.

Igwe added that when port users face unnecessary interference along the corridor after clearing their cargo, the tools will provide real time access to help, preventing loss of cargo or extortion. He, however, emphasised that integrity on the part of users is essential for the system to function effectively.

He described the partnership as a win win for government, citizens, port operators, terminal operators, and logistics service providers, noting that it represents a decisive step toward sustainable reform. The MoU, he said, will significantly reduce the outcry within the logistics sector by limiting extortion, delays, and inefficiencies that have long hindered Nigeria’s trade competitiveness.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Convention for Business Integrity and representative of the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network headquartered in Copenhagen, Olusoji Apampa, highlighted the significant progress already achieved on the marine side of Nigeria’s maritime operations.

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According to Apampa, vessels can now call at Nigerian ports and terminals without the harassment and unreceipted payments that previously characterized such visits. The success offshore, he said, served as the foundation for extending these reforms to land side operations and the broader logistics chain.

He revealed that the MoU includes not only access to MACN’s anti-corruption tools but also training, capacity building, and support to help CRFFN establish systems that can receive complaints and ensure they are effectively addressed.

Apampa outlined the major challenge on the land side as persistent unreceipted payments at almost every stage of the freight forwarding process. These hidden costs, he explained, ultimately burden Nigerian consumers because most goods sold in the country arrive through maritime routes. With 80-90 percent of items used daily originating from vessels, any added cost along the logistics chain directly drives up the cost of living.

He stressed that many officials demanding such payments do not understand the long term impact on the economy, as these costs are eventually embedded in market prices affecting the same citizens who pay them.

He added that while the focus began in the maritime sector, the reforms will eventually extend to aviation and other logistics corridors to ensure a uniform culture of transparency and accountability.

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