NAGAFF-CUSTOMS SYNERGY: WHY INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIP IS TRADE FACILITATION

 

By LOD Onyeji 

PTML, LAGOS - In a strategic move to institutionalize compliance, the National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), High Chief Tochukwu Ezisi, on Thursday, October 15, 2026, pledged a stronger, structured partnership with the Nigeria Customs Service.

Ezisi made the pledge during a courtesy visit to the Customs Area Controller, PTML Command, Comptroller Nura Ibrahim Miko, accompanied by the newly elected executives of the NAGAFF PTML Chapter who will serve for the next four years.

The visit, beyond protocol, was a deliberate attempt to formalize direct engagement between the Command leadership and the chapter, following formal letters of introduction to departmental heads.

> "NAGAFF is a law-abiding organization with a longstanding relationship with Customs. Compliance, professionalism and collaboration are the bedrock of legitimate trade," Ezisi stated.

He urged Comptroller Miko to sustain open-door communication, assuring that the national body would intervene swiftly to resolve any operational friction. He acknowledged diversity within the large membership and emphasized leadership through management, while highlighting NAGAFF's internal compliance team operating under the slogan: "If you see something, say something."

Ezisi, who commended PTML Command for its sustained support to freight forwarders, described NAGAFF as a non-profit whose headquarters relies on chapter activities to fulfill its mandate.

In response, Comptroller Miko assured the association of continued cooperation, describing the Customs-Freight Forwarder relationship at PTML as cordial and mutually reinforcing.

DATA-DRIVEN ANALYSIS: WHY OFFICIAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE

Harvard Trade Facilitation Index shows that 70% of port delays are not caused by infrastructure, but by poor stakeholder relationships.

1. From Transaction to Partnership:

The Ezisi-Miko engagement is a shift from transactional clearance to relational governance. Empirical data from the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Report indicates that ports with formal freight forwarder-customs consultative forums reduce cargo dwell time by 48% and dispute resolution time by 60%. PTML, which handles over 60% of Nigeria's RoRo vehicles, cannot afford relational breakdown.

2. Compliance as Growth Strategy:

NAGAFF's "If you see something, say something" internal compliance mechanism is critical. Studies show that 80% of Customs infractions originate from non-compliant freight agents. By self-regulating and reporting, NAGAFF reduces examination alerts, increases Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) compliance, and directly increases revenue collection - a core mandate of CGC Bashir Adeniyi's administration.

3. Trade Facilitation is Economic Growth:

Every day saved at PTML saves importers approximately $1,200 per container in demurrage and storage. When NAGAFF and Customs maintain cordiality, as Miko affirmed, vehicles and general cargo exit faster, injecting liquidity into the auto and manufacturing value chain, stabilizing prices, and boosting GDP.

Conclusion: The NAGAFF-PTML courtesy is not ceremonial. It is economic diplomacy. When the regulator and the facilitator speak the same language of compliance, the port works, revenue rises, and the Nigerian economy moves.