A full year has elapsed since Chief Tochuwkue Ezisi, the National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), formally appealed to the management of the Lekki Deep Seaport for the allocation of space to establish a Freight Forwarders village.

Despite consistent advocacy efforts from NAGAFF, the management of the seaport has yet to address this request, and even the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), responsible for advocating freight forwarder presence in port areas, has shown reluctance to act.

In 2023, the NCS command at LFTZ reported a staggering revenue of ₦74 billion, largely attributed to the substantial contributions of freight forwarders. However, these essential stakeholders have been conspicuously overlooked in the original master plan devised by the concessionaires.

This begs the question: who is currently fulfilling the crucial role of freight forwarders at the Lekki Deep Seaport?

It is imperative to acknowledge the pivotal role played by freight forwarders as both customs revenue mobilizers and facilitators of trade, engaging directly with shippers, terminal operators, shipping companies, and various government agencies