By Providence Ayanfeoluwa

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF has inaugurated a 16 man “Trade War Committee” to address systemic Inefficiencies and exploitative practices affecting port users and logistics operators across Nigeria’s international trade ecosystem.

The association said the establishment and inauguration of the strategic committee is aimed at confronting the escalating trade malpractice perpetrated by some government agencies and other critical stakeholders.

Speaking at the inauguration, Founder of NAGAFF Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, said that the action is in response to the persistent exploitation, regulatory excesses, and operational bottlenecks experienced by traders, importers, and freight forwarding practitioners operating within the Nigerlan port environment.

He explained that the constituted NAGAFF Trade War Committee is domiciled in the office of the founder of NAGAFF.

Aniebonam who said trade malpractices at the port directly threaten the cargo documentation and clearance value chain within the Nigerian port system, said: “This initiative is hereby tagged the “NAGAFF Trade War Committee”.

His words: “The Committee is mandated to undertake strategic trade advocacy, operational monitoring, policy intelligence gathering, and institutional engagement aimed at addressing systemic Inefficiencies and exploitative practices affecting port users and logistics operators across Nigeria’s international trade ecosystem.

“The current level of exploitation within the port environment undermines the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President.

“The situation becomes even more concerning when some presidential appointees within the maritime and port administration ecosystem appear not to be contributing effectively to the reform objectives of the administration, due to allegations of corruption, regulatory capture, and weak institutional accountability.

‘The Trade War Committee shall therefore function as an independent oversight and advisory platform, working closely with Higher Authorities to provide credible field intelligence empirical evidence, and firsthand operational reports from activities within Nigerian ports.

“This initiative is designed to ensure that the Presidency is furnished with unfiltered, evidence based insights supported by verifiable documentation.

“Such information will support inform policy decisions, regulatory reforms, and strategic appointments within the maritime and governance architecture, in line with the national anti-corruption framework,” he said.