The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) has warned importers and exporters against the use of unregistered freight forwarding agents and organizations to avoid falling victim to fraudulent elements at the ports.
In an enforcement notice, the Council also warned that it was illegal to engage any unregistered freight forwarder, adding that sanctions await anybody that violated its laws.
The Council also said that an updated list of duly qualified practitioners would soon be made available with a view to guiding consumers of freight forwarding services.
In the notice titled, ‘Registration and Compliance’, the Council said that practitioners not registered after the due date would be liable to sanctions.
Part of the notice read, “There is going to be a publication of the list of registered freight forwarders, freight forwarding organizations and accredited forwarding associations. All practitioners are hereby advised to register and update their registration, including annual subscription with CRFFN before the due date of this publication.
“Anybody patronizing unregistered freight forwarders after this said date is contravening Section 13, 14 and 18 of the CRFFN Act. Any practitioner not registered after the due date is liable to sanctions in accordance with Section 27 of the Act.”
The Council also reiterated its resolve to ensure that only educated practitioners with the minimum certificate of a Diploma would be allowed to practise, adding that by 2021, anybody without such qualification would not be allowed to ply the trade.
The notice said, “The public is hereby advised that the minimum standard to practise as a freight forwarder in Nigeria is the FIATA Diploma in freight supply chain management or its equivalent. FIATA is the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, a non-governmental organisation founded in 1926.
“All freight forwarders are hereby notified that the deadline for compliance with the minimum educational standard is end of December 2020.’’
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