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‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
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‎The National Assembly has been charged  to enact a legal framework compelling consolidation by local freight forwarders to ensure they avoid fragmentations which  unwittingly expose them to avoidable dominance by their foreign competitors. Pooling resources together as a formidable business entity, it is canvassed, stands to position them to better contribute to national trade and security.
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‎National Secretary-General of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Godfrey Emeka Nwosu made the call in a policy briefing on the future of freight forwarding in Nigeria, as he describes consolidation as a “strategic imperative” for the industry.
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Tochukwu Ezisi, NAGAFF National President

‎The growing fragmentation of local freight forwarding companies, he painted out, was weakening their capacity to compete with better-capitalized foreign firms. To overcome this development, local operators should urgently embrace consolidation to enable them build stronger and more competitive Nigerian-owned logistics business entities.
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‎Indigenous freight forwarding companies, he canvassed, must come together and consolidate their operations as failure to so could leave them increasingly vulnerable to foreign dominance in Nigeria’s logistics and maritime sector.
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‎It is no longer about the survival of individual freight forwarding entities but about Nigeria’s ability to retain value in-country and internationally to ensure foreign competitors do not render them irrelevant in international trade.

‎He warned that without stronger indigenous companies, local operators could continue to lose market share and strategic opportunities to foreign competitors.
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‎Going further, the NAGAFF Scribe identified consolidation as a national security imperative as better-organized cargo movements would make it easier for regulatory and security agencies to monitor consignments and detect suspicious activities.
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‎“Consolidated cargo is easier to monitor, reducing risks of smuggling and illicit trade,” he stated.
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‎He called for investment in warehouses, transport corridors and digital cargo management systems, as well as capacity-building programmes for freight forwarders and customs brokers.
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‎This would be complemented by stronger public-private partnerships among government agencies, freight forwarders, shippers and port operators to create an efficient logistics ecosystem.
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‎Nwosu said the freight forwarding sector was a critical enabler of international trade and warned that the dominance of small, fragmented operators had created vulnerabilities that could be exploited by foreign competitors.
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‎According to him, bringing smaller freight forwarding companies together would enable operators to pool resources, cargo volumes, infrastructure and expertise, thereby reducing costs and improving service delivery.
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‎“Consolidating multiple smaller freight forwarding companies into larger, unified firms offers a strategic solution to enhance competitiveness, efficiency and resilience,” he said.
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‎Nwosu explained that consolidation would allow operators to share cargo space and transportation resources, reducing per-unit logistics costs while limiting exposure to under-utilized capacity and empty runs.
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‎He said stronger companies would also be better positioned to invest in warehouses, transportation networks, digital systems and skilled manpower, giving indigenous operators the capacity to compete for larger cargo volumes and contracts.
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‎The NAGAFF official said the benefits would extend beyond freight forwarders to shippers, Customs, port operators and the wider economy.
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‎He said shippers would have access to more affordable and reliable logistics services, while Customs authorities could benefit from more structured cargo movements that would simplify inspection, documentation and clearance.
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‎For port operators, he said, more coordinated cargo evacuation would help improve cargo flow and reduce congestion.
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‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
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‎The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and  PARTS Central Ltd are partnering to clean up the country’s inland waterways by identifying sources of indiscriminate accumulation of waste within the inland waterways and environs. The partnership also involves the removal, recycling and conversion of such waste into economic value.
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‎This initiative expected to promote environmental sustainability and create employment opportunities for communities living along the waterways is in line with the comprehensive environmental reform programme introduced by Bola Oyebamiji, former Managing Director of NIWA.
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‎In a joint statement, NIWA Lagos Area Manager, Engr. Sarat Braimah and Managing Director, PARTS Central Ltd, Henry Olaoluwa Onifade  said the Lagos unveiling is aimed at briefing stakeholders in Lagos on the benefits of the initiative and to seek their support and buy-in to ensure it succeeds.
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‎Apart from improving inland waterway navigability by eliminating debris, pollution-related accumulations and obstructions, the nationwide initiative is also expected to enhance the conservation of aquatic biodiversity, some of which remain largely undocumented. It will also contribute significantly to the growth of Nigeria’s fisheries economy.
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‎Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola,  has consistently emphasized the need to strategically harness the vast potentials of Nigeria’s inland waterways beyond transportation. He has positioned them as key drivers of economic diversification under the blue economy framework.
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‎This arrangement underscores NIWA’s commitment to innovation and sustainable development.
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‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
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‎Working in collaboration with sister security agencies, the Seme-Krake Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, between May and July 2026, intercepted 3,300 cartridges of explosive materials, a truckload of expired noodles, parboiled foreign rice and other smuggled goods valued at N365.16 million.
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‎Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Abdullahi Kaila disclosed this, Tuesday, while giving a rundown of operational achievements made within the period in view.
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‎According to Comptroller Kaila, the interceptions resulting from credible intelligence, sustained surveillance and intelligence-driven operations by Customs officers demonstrated a commendable example of collaboration with sister security agencies. He described the seizure of the explosives as one of the most significant security interventions recorded by the Command and warned that if allowed to enter the country, such materials could be diverted for criminal purposes.
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‎The explosives which originated from Ghana, the CAC explained, have been  handed over to the Police Force Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit for safe keeping and investigation. Two suspects allegedly involved were also handed over to the appropriate investigation agency.
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‎“Explosives of this nature have devastating consequences when they fall into the hands of criminal elements. They have the potential to facilitate terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes capable of threatening national peace and security.”
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‎The Controller also unveiled a truck said to be carrying wholesome food items. But on investigation, it was found to carry 1,306 sacks of expired noodles arranged in bags, each weighing 50 kilogrammes.  Intelligence gathered showed that the noodles in loose form was to be repackaged and relabelled before being introduced into the Nigerian market. Kaila said the interception had prevented potentially harmful food products from being unleashed to the unsuspecting consumers. By this, he said, border security is also a form of support for public health protection.
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‎He further disclosed that the Command seized 1,268 bags of foreign parboiled rice, each weighing 50 kilogrammes, smuggled into the country through illegal routes. Such illicit importation, he regretted, not only deprives government of legitimate revenue but also undermines the Federal Government’s agricultural policies designed to encourage local rice production and the welfare of local farmers.

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‎The Command intercepted 373 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, 90 packs of Tramaking 250mg, 69 packs of Royal Tapentadol 250mg and 310,000 sticks of Time/Yes cigarettes. He said the seizures had helped disrupt criminal supply chains and prevent dangerous substances from reaching Nigerian communities.
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‎Other prohibited items impounded during the period include one used speedboat, one used water bike, one used Toyota Land Cruiser 2017 model, one used Toyota RAV4 2016 model and one used Nissan Versa 2010 model whose total combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) stood at N365,163,709.
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‎He promised hard times for smugglers as the Command is determined to  continue to deploy intelligence, surveillance and collaboration with other security agencies to frustrate their evil acts.
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‎“To those engage in smuggling activities, our message remains unequivocal: Seme is no longer a safe corridor for economic sabotage,” he said.
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‎Seme Command generated N19.84 billion between January and July 2026, thus surpassing her total revenue collection of N15.94 billion recorded throughout 2025.  In the first seven months of 2026, the Command generated N19,840,280,788.50,
‎representing an increase of N3.899 billion or 24.45 % over the N15,941,258,676.01 realized in 2025.
‎The CAC attributed the revenue growth to improved compliance, enhanced stakeholder engagement and strengthened operational efficiency.
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‎“This achievement demonstrates that effective enforcement and efficient trade facilitation are complementary responsibilities. While we continue to deny smugglers opportunities to undermine the economy, we remain equally committed to creating an enabling environment for compliant traders to conduct legitimate business with ease and predictability, ” he stated. He pledged that the Command would continue to support the Federal Government’s economic reforms, promote regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), facilitate compliant trade and ensure that smugglers had no safe haven within its area of responsibility.
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‎He expressed appreciation to sister security and government regulatory agencies for their cooperation, intelligence- sharing and commitment to national security. The seized illicit drugs and unregistered pharmaceutical products were subsequently handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and necessary action.
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