By Our Correspondent
National News
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s freight forwarding and logistics industry have expressed concern over the growing influence of foreign companies in the sector, attributing the trend to longstanding structural weaknesses rather than nationality.
The Registrar of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Kingsley Igwe, said the increasing participation of foreign operators should prompt policymakers to address the industry’s deep-rooted challenges instead of focusing solely on the debate over foreign involvement.
According to Igwe, the expansion of foreign firms is largely a consequence of institutional deficiencies that have weakened the competitiveness of indigenous freight forwarders. He noted that inconsistent regulatory enforcement, inadequate professional training and limited investment in human capital have continued to undermine the sector’s growth.
He explained that while several countries have developed globally competitive logistics professionals through structured certification programmes and continuous capacity building, Nigeria’s freight forwarding industry has lagged behind due to weak professional development frameworks.
Igwe also identified inadequate access to capital as another major obstacle facing indigenous operators. He stressed that modern logistics has become a technology-driven and capital-intensive business that requires significant investment in digital infrastructure, warehousing, multimodal transportation systems, integrated supply chains and project cargo management.
Supporting the position, retired Deputy Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service and trade and maritime consultant, Dera Nnadi, said local operators must take greater responsibility for strengthening their businesses through sustained investment.
Nnadi observed that many indigenous freight forwarding companies often divert earnings from their operations into ventures outside the maritime industry instead of reinvesting in business expansion, technology, capacity development and improved competitiveness.
He maintained that unless indigenous operators prioritise long-term investment and professional development, foreign companies will continue to dominate key segments of Nigeria’s logistics and freight forwarding industry.
