The National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), High Chief Tochukwu Ezisi, has called for greater policy attention to the role of freight forwarders in Nigeria’s sustainable fishing industry.
Ezisi made the call while delivering the opening remarks at the National Conference on Sustainable Fishing, themed “Sustainable Fishing in Nigeria: Pathways to Growth, Food Security, and Coastal Livelihoods,” organised by the Maritime Correspondents’ Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON).
The conference was held at Rockview Hotel, Apapa, Lagos, on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.
Ezisi, who is also a Patron of MARCON, was represented at the event by the Secretary General of NAGAFF, Godfrey Nwosu.
He noted that efficient logistics and transparent supply chains are essential to ensuring that sustainably harvested fish reach markets safely, affordably, and in compliance with international standards.
Ezisi urged stakeholders to recognise freight forwarders as more than facilitators of trade, describing them as partners in safeguarding food security and supporting coastal livelihoods.
“Their impact on the fishing industry deserves our attention and deliberate integration into policy and practice,” he said.
The NAGAFF President stated that fishing goes beyond being an industry, as it provides food, employment, and livelihoods for people, particularly in coastal communities.
He stressed the need for sustainability, warning that the depletion of Nigeria’s waters would deny future generations the opportunity to survive and prosper.
Ezisi described the conference as a call to balance growth with responsibility, protect livelihoods, secure food for millions, and ensure that Nigeria’s maritime resources remain a blessing rather than a burden.
He commended MARCON for bringing stakeholders together and expressed confidence that the conference would help forge solutions capable of making sustainable fishing a pillar of Nigeria’s prosperity.
