Maritime Agencies
TAAM CONFERENCE 5.0: Expert Tasks FG On Local Capacity Development In Shipping
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
Notable maritime personality and former President, African Ship Owners Association, Barr Temisan Omatseye, has strongly deplored the situation whereby in this time and age,
foreign interests still control about 98% of Nigeria’s cargo resources in terms of shipment of export and import especially oil and gas cargo, leaving a paltry 2% for indigenous operators.
He reminds the Federal Government that this anomaly has been allowed to persist despite the abundant maritime potentials and human capabilities Nigerians possess.
Omatseye, the former Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), stated this in Lagos, Friday, while delivering a keynote address at the Taiwo Afolabi Annual Maritime (TAAM) Conference put together by the SIFAX Group in league with the Maritime Forum of the University of Lagos.
He spoke on the topic ‘Measurable Standards In The Nigerian Maritime Industry:Forging A Path Towards Sustainable Shipping’.
Omatseye reminded the audience that as a major maritime nation, Nigeria has in excess of 90sq kilometres of ocean waters, 850 nautical miles of coastlines and over 4,000kilometres of inland waterways and eight seaports, which make her a rich and great maritime nation.
Following the monopoly of operations which the Federal Government allows foreign liners in lifting and importing cargo, he regretted, indigenous shipping firms have become depressed and incapacitated; foreign liners now enjoy a field day, imposing all manner of arbitrary freight and sundry charges on Nigeria-bound cargo to the disadvantage of Nigeria, her economy and her people.
One way this problem can be addressed, he said, is for the Federal Government to commence with despatch what he calls a Fleet Replacement Programme to enable indigenous shipping lines acquire modern vessels that meet current technology and global acceptance in shipping.
“One of the quickest ways to achieving this is through the immediate disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, CVFF, which has accrued since 2004 from 2% of every contract awarded under the Coastal and Inland Shipping Act 2003.”
He was emphatic that no reason should further delay the disbursement of the fund through implementable regulations at this time to serve the purpose for which it was created.
As a matter of urgency, he added, government should begin to grant national carrier status to indigenous shipping companies as provided for in section 36 of the NIMASA Act, 2007, which statutorily empowers such national carriers to lift all project cargoes belonging to the Federal, State and Local Governments in the country. Government, he suggested, must begin to operationalize Nigerian laws in order to discourage foreigners from intimidating indigenous operators.
He called for the establishment of more deepsea ports and ship repair and building infrastructure in designated free trade zones.
“The establishment of Shipping Free Trade Zones which would create Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) is necessary at this point. To achieve this, the government should put measures in place for the optimal functioning of the Ajokuta Rolling Mill for the large quantities of steel products that would be required”.
A deliberate policy for manpower training and tax-free remittances of seamen, he said, is desirable even as welders with international certification should be trained in Nigeria. Marine architects, nautical engineers and the like must be locally trained to design local vessels that meet global standards in terms of quality and specifications.
Omatseye strongly recommended that the Lagos anchorage be made an international shipping hub by providing dedicated areas for bunker operations.
The Federal Government should work with her training institutions to design international LNG bunker operations while a fleet development programme will enhance the construction of new-build vessels to run on both diesel and natural gas.
At the event, Chairman of the SIFAX Group, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi who was represented by Bode Ojeniyi, the Managing Director, Sky Capital (a subsidiary of the SIFAX Group) noted that the days of over-reliance on oil for Nigeria’s economic sustenance were over, especially given the uncertainties in the global oil and gas market as well as the rising need for cleaner sources of energy. This makes it imperative that potentials the country’s maritime sector has to offer are urgently exploited.
“Looking carefully at the theme of this year’s conference,” Afolabi stated, “you will discover that it is an ambitious one, as we are looking beyond positioning in Africa. Judging by the potential of the industry, we are of the opinion and belief that Nigeria’s maritime industry can rank among the best in the world. It will only take careful planning, progressive policies, generous funding, enabling environment, friendly economic policies, manpower development and massive infrastructural development.”
“A good foundation for sustainable growth and positioning we earnestly crave has been laid. The sector has professionally-run government agencies including the Nigerian Ports Authority, NIMASA and the Nigerian Shippers Council that have contributed significantly to the growth that we already have.”
Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh who was represented by
the Director of Internal Audit, Mrs. Olamide Odusanya, observed that
the theme of this year’s event is in sync with the vision of the agency to remain a leading Maritime Administration in Africa.
He said that NIMASA is committed to her core functions of ensuring safety and security of lives, cargo and even the vessels within the country’s maritime domain while also not losing focus of her shipping development functions as well.
Maritime Agencies
TRANSQuest MAGAZINE @ 21: With Huge Maritime Endowments, Stakeholders Warn, Nigeria Can’t be Poor, Government Must Realign Her Priorities.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
Can a nation richly endowed with over 850 kilometers of coastal waters bordering the Atlantic Ocean and an indeterminate expanse of inland waterways and estuaries said to be economically poor? Of course the answer, industry watchers say, cannot be in the affirmative. But in the case of Nigeria, it is because her largely-endowed but poorly-exploited maritime potentials illustrates the paradox of someone surrounded by water using spittle to clean his face.
As events marking the 21st anniversary celebration of TransQuest Magazine unfolded in Lagos, Saturday, the inescapable reality was all over the venue as presentations and discussions tended towards this reality: Nigeria has no business being poor!
Stakeholders spanning across industry regulators, technocrats, customs, logistics gurus and the ever-bubbling press gathered to discuss and analyse Nigeria’s ‘predicament’ in the present circumstance.
In his lecture entitled “Re-Appraising Nigeria’s Blue Economy: Charting a Pathway to Sustainable Growth,” industry technocrat, Lucky Eyis Amiwero was his vintage self. Perhaps, he told the authorities the hard truth others dread to tell them regarding the massive neglect and misuse of opportunities mother nature has offered Nigeria through huge resources lying waste in her territory.
For a country battling unemployment, food insecurity, infrastructure deficits and the urgent need to diversify its economy, the implications are enormous, he said. Whereas Nigeria possesses an extensive coastline, inland waterways, fisheries and offshore resources, he argued, much of the economic value embedded in these assets remains largely untapped.
By way of introduction, “Blue economy”, Amiwero explained, is a term in economics relating to exploitation, preservation and regeneration of the marine environment.
”This can include a wide range of economic sector from the conventional Fisheries, Aquaculture, Maritime Transport, coastal, Marine and Maritime Tourism, coastal Renewable Energy, marine Ecosystem service, blue Caborn, Seabed mining and Bioprospecting and Biotechnology.”
Recognising the immense potentials ocean and freshwater resources have for sustainable development, he continued, it has become necessary to protect and conserve oceans and fresh water systems such as rivers, lakes and extensive ocean resources to ensure they remain healthy and productive as one of the most important tenets of the Blue Economy.
”The Nigerian Blue Economy can constitute a major source of wealth and catapult the country’s fortune”.
Blue Economy components, he added, include established
traditional ocean industries such as fisheries, tourism and marine transport. Other emerging areas include offshore
renewable energy, aquaculture, seabed extractive activities, marine biotechnology and bioprospecting.
Additional growth of the Blue Economy is possible, especially in the area of Fisheries, Aquaculture, Coastal tourism, Marine biotechnology and ocean energy. According to him, some of these sector require little encouragement and additional governance while others need more and better planning
to achieve the full potentials and return of more sustainable outcomes.
But to what extent are authorities in Nigeria prepared to muster needed governance discipline, infrastructural investment and political will to take advantage of the opportunities offered to realize sustainable economic development? That is the crux of the problem Nigeria must address to be a maritime nation worthy of the name.
Speaking earlier, Felix Kumuyi, TransQuest Magazine Publisher, reflected on a 21-year journey built around credible journalism, facilitation and economic growth informed public discourse, progressive policy advocacy and the recognition of excellence across the transport and maritime value chain.
The annual lecture, he said, has now become an opportunity to examine what he referred to as critical questions concerning transportation, maritime development, trade facilitation and economic growth.
He reasoned that aside conventional port and shipping activities, Nigeria must give serious attention to the development of fisheries, aquaculture, marine tourism, inland waterways, coastal resources, marine biotechnology and renewable marine energy as these represent a vast economic frontier capable of generating employment, attracting investment and supporting national development.
Beyond the establishment of a Marine and Blue Economy Ministry, Nigeria needs a workable framework encompassing modern infrastructure, efficient ports, effective maritime security, environmental protection, investment-friendly regulation, digital transformation and a skilled indigenous workforce.
Maritime Agencies
CSR: Customs CG Hosts Apapa Students in Sports, Pledges Sponsorship for Outstanding Young Athletes.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The newly-inaugurated Wale Adeniyi Sports Arena situated at the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) came alive Monday as the Service hosted students and pupils from secondary schools in Apapa in different sporting events to mark the 2026 edition of the Wale Adeniyi Secondary Schools Sports Competition.
The week-long event which reaffirms the commitment of the Service to youth development, grassroots sports promotion and community engagement is part of the corporate social responsibility of the Service.
Declaring the event open on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs Dr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘A’, ACG Mohammed Babandede announced sponsorship and career development opportunities for outstanding young athletes who excel in different sporting events.
The ACG said the competition reflects the visionary leadership of the Comptroller-General whose Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) agenda has repositioned the Nigeria Customs Service as a driver of community development through its Customs Cares initiative.
He explained that the championship goes beyond sports as it serves as a platform to identify and nurture young talents while promoting discipline, teamwork, healthy living and leadership among secondary school students.
The Wale Adeniyi Sports Arena, he added, was deliberately established to serve as a community facility for young people to train and develop their physical, mental and social potentials. The facility is also available to strengthen the bond between the Nigeria Customs Service and its host communities.
About 13 secondary schools competed in events such as football, basketball, volleyball, chess, scrabble and table tennis in a championship the NCS organised in collaboration with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Ajeromi-Ifelodun Chapter led by Mrs Morenike Akerele.
According to the ACG, the week-long competition aligns with the Service’s commitment to encourage work-life balance, physical fitness and mental well-being which are essential ingredients for improved productivity and professional excellence.
He urged the Service personnel to always immitate the competitors who are being encouraged to uphold the values of discipline, unity, friendship and sportsmanship throughout the competition. For the athletes, he counselled them to value and maintain the relationships built during the tournament.
He commended the partnership between the NCS, NAPPS, the Lagos State Ministry of Education and other stakeholders, describing it as a model for nation-building through sports and education.
In his remarks, the Customs Area Controller, Western Marine Command, Comptroller Patrick Ntadi, reaffirmed the commitment of the Service to discover and support exceptional sporting talents across the country.
Ntadi said the Comptroller-General was delighted by the impressive turnout and described the competition as another demonstration of the Service’s resolve to invest in Nigeria’s future through youth empowerment.
He disclosed that the Nigeria Customs Service would closely monitor the performances of participating athletes, assuring them that those who distinguished themselves through outstanding talent, discipline and commitment would receive sponsorship and career development opportunities from the Service.
This initiative, Ntadi explained, is designed to promote excellence, discover emerging talents and provide promising young athletes the platform needed to realise their full potentials.
He urged all participants to give their best throughout the competition, stressing that the Service is searching for athletes capable of making Nigeria proud on national and international stages.
“We want to promote sports among our youths, take our children off the streets, and give them the opportunity to develop their talents so that, in the future, Nigeria will be proud of them.”
DC A. Attracta entering a Customs boat named after her
Special attraction at the event was a display by DC A. Attracta who, in November 2023, travelled across 12 West African countries on a motorbike, covering over 8,000km in 23 days.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, High Chief Tochukwu Ezisi, has been honoured with the Golden Era Pillar of Logistics Excellence, Purposeful Entrepreneur, Philanthropy and National Development Award by the Radio, Television, Theatre and Art Workers’ Union, RATTAWU.
The award was presented on Monday at the Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, during the RATTAWU Safe Democracy Summit and Golden Honours, themed, “Electoral Integrity in an AI Era – Role of Responsible Media and Culture in Safeguarding Democracy.”
The event attracted prominent personalities, including representatives of the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and the Minister of Labour and Employment.
Other dignitaries in attendance included the National President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, Dr. Ike Neliaku, who chaired the occasion; the President of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria, Prof. Rotimi Williams Olatunji, who delivered the keynote address; representatives of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police; NAGAFF founder, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam; traditional rulers, freight forwarders and business leaders.
Speaking at the ceremony, RATTAWU National President, Prince Emeka Kalu, described Ezisi as a philanthropist and community leader whose contributions to logistics, entrepreneurship and national development had positively impacted many lives.
He said the union considered Ezisi deserving of recognition for his commitment to humanitarian causes and development initiatives, noting that society should celebrate individuals who have distinguished themselves through hard work and selfless service.
Kalu also reaffirmed RATTAWU’s commitment to defending the rights of the oppressed, giving voice to the voiceless and supporting vulnerable members of society.
Representing the Minister of Information and National Orientation, the Director of Public Relations and Protocol in the ministry, Dr. Suleiman Haruna, said inquiries about Ezisi’s background revealed him to be a man whose contributions to humanity had earned him widespread respect.
Haruna likened the NAGAFF president to “a mighty river that irrigates lands and people,” saying his generosity had positively transformed many lives.
Several speakers, including Chairman of the NAGAFF Board of Trustees, Mr. Chidiebere Enelamah, and the association’s National Vice President, Princess Chi Ezeh, also paid glowing tributes to Ezisi, describing him as a compassionate leader whose recognition was well deserved.
Enelamah commended Ezisi’s wife for her support, describing her as a pillar behind her husband’s success.
Representatives of the Imperial Philanthropic Family equally praised the NAGAFF President for his longstanding support for charitable causes across the country, saying the honour reflected his commitment to humanitarian service.
They urged him to remain steadfast in his philanthropic activities, noting that his impact had changed many lives and inspired others to serve humanity.
Responding, an emotional Ezisi expressed gratitude to God, his family, friends and supporters for standing by him throughout his journey.
He also acknowledged the founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, for providing him with the platform to serve, while thanking RATTAWU for the recognition.
Ezisi pledged his continued support for the union and assured members that he would always be available whenever called upon.
He described the honour as one of the most memorable moments of his life and thanked guests for their presence and goodwill.
TRANSQuest MAGAZINE @ 21: With Huge Maritime Endowments, Stakeholders Warn, Nigeria Can’t be Poor, Government Must Realign Her Priorities.
CSR: Customs CG Hosts Apapa Students in Sports, Pledges Sponsorship for Outstanding Young Athletes.
Disaster Imminent in Apapa as Widening Cracks Overtake Liverpool-Marine Road Junction. ………. Stakeholders Send SOS to Government.
Tochukwu Ezisi, NAGAFF President, Bags RATTAWU’s Logistics Excellence Award.
Oyetola Vows to Strengthen Local Capacity, Innovation, Responsible Investments As STARZS Celebrates 40th Anniversary.
NCDMB Hails STARZS @ 40, Reiterates Objectives of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act of 2010.
OPERATION WHIRLWIND: Customs Auctions 20,500 Litres Of Confiscated PMS, NMDPRA Warns Against Products Diversion.
Jumoke Oduwole, Industry, Trade and Investments Minister, Commends STARZS at 40, Tasks African Trade Ministers on AfCFTA.
Apapa Port Customs Seizes Cannabis Sativa Worth over N26.5bn
STARZS INVESTMENTS COMPANY LTD: 40 Years of Private Indigenous Initiative, Shaping Nigeria’s Maritime Future.
Starzs Group Emphasizes Sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility, Urges Government to Strengthen Education Infrastructure.
STARZS CEO Commissions School Projects, Champions Environmental Protection and Tree -Planting to Mark 40th Anniversary.
Starzs’ 40th Anniversary : Group’s CSR Will Rewrite Our Story, Benefitting Communities Say.
Starzs’ 40th Anniversary: Company Doles out Scholarships to 40 Youths from Host Communities, Maritime Institutions.
STARZS 40TH ANNIVERSARY: ‘We are Faith-based, And Doing Well’- CEO Iroghama …Thanks Founder For Laying Solid Foundation
DATELINE: JULY 4, 2026. Faces at Starzs Investments Company’s Special Thanksgiving in Port Harcourt to Celebrate 4 Decades of Existence.
ABUJA MoU: WE FUNCTION BEHIND A MASK, says Capt Umoren
1. EXECUTIVE PLATFORM. AMES 2024: TIME TO CHANGE GOVERNMENT ATTITUDE TOWARDS SHIPPING DEVELOPMENT IS NOW, AMES President Charges FG.
2023 ELECTIONS：CILT Hosts Seminar on Logistics & Electoral Process
B’ODOGWU TRADE PORTAL: Customs Consolidates, Pilots Form ‘M’ Processing.
APFFLON Seeks Immediate Reform of CRFFN, Replacement of Registrar.
OMIS AWARDS, 2022: Greg Ogbeifun, Industry Gurus For Special Recognition.
JANUARY-MAY REPORT: Seme Customs Hits N2.6bn, Facilitates ₦35.1bn Exports.
HALF YEAR, 2024: Apapa Customs Nets ₦1.024 Trillion, Records 143% Increase.
B’Odogwu: Apapa Customs Collects ₦161b in 3 Weeks, Assures of Improvements .
PHOTO NEWS: Maritime Capacity Development
FG Set To Re-establish National Shipping Line, To Take Advantage of $10 bn Annual Ship Charter Market.
Photo News: Salah Celebration
Sylvanus Ekpo, ex-Editor, Shipping World Magazine, loses Mum
Mama Theresa Enisuoh Due For Burial April 27
MAN, ORON: It’s Encomiums Galore From International Seabed Authority (ISA).
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