Maritime Agencies
MAMAL 2025: Ogbeifun Salutes President Tinubu on the new Marine Ministry, Tasks MARAN To Follow Up Her Resolutions
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
Engr Greg Ogbeifun, Chairman, Starzs Investments Company Ltd has expressed excitement over the establishment of a separate ministry to superintend over and pay closer attention to the huge potentials in the Marine sector.
He was speaking in Lagos, Wednesday, at the third edition of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) annual lecture tagged ‘MAMAL 2025’. Recalling the consistent advocacy in this regard by him and other concerned stakeholders especially when he functioned as the pioneer President of the Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN), he hailed President Tinubu for harkening to the voice of reason by establishing the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Ogbeifun who chaired the event with the theme ‘Addressing the Burden of War Risk Insurance on Nigeria’s Maritime Trade,’ gleefully announced his return from retirement following the creation of the new ministry to enable him continue his invaluable contributions to the sector.
Talking about war risk insurance premium on Nigeria’s maritime trade, he expressed deep concern about the absence of Nigerian-owned vessels among those visiting the ports and paying the controversial premium.
He queried: Where is the fleet representing Nigerian identity and interests in the comity of vessels that visit Nigerian ports?
”Let’s get up and be the ones carrying our cargoes globally in our own ships,” he insisted.
”We must take our destiny in our own hands, participate in shipping and be able to lend our voice in determining war risk insurance issues
.”
He cautioned that going forward, MAMAL and similar industry gatherings must not be mere talk shops. Serious resolutions and agreements adopted must be presented to government for consideration in moving the sector forward. MARAN should constitute an implementation team to follow up with the authorities on the measurable outcomes and this should be the fulcrum of discussions in the following year.
By next year when another edition of MAMAL would be hosted, he advised, MARAN should be able to present current statistics on the status of the war risk insurance issue on the nation’s maritime domain based on discussions and resolutions the previous year.
There should be collaboration with relevant organs of government and other stakeholders to effectively see what needs to be done to move to the next stage in discussing war risk insurance premium.
Also speaking at the occasion, Barrister Temisan Omatseye, former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) expressed dissatisfaction that the Joint War Risk Committee in London is charging a zero point two five percent on every vessel that gets five degrees east of the Lagos harbour, which means that, anytime a vessel enters the area towards Delta, Port Harcourt or Bakassi, there is a fee being charged and that fee goes up to zero point six five percent whilst in Pakistan, where there is serious attacks, only zero point two five percent is charged.
The reason for this, according to him, is that Nigeria had lost her eyes “on the ball”.
For now, Omatseye noted, Nigeria is the centre of attractions to the world with the Dangote Refinery producing thousands of barrels of petroleum products daily. With the BUA Refinery, the upcoming one in Ogun State plus other modular refineries which would produce for exports purposes, Nigeria is going to be a net exporter of petroleum products to the world and there is the need to adequately find lasting solutions to the lingering issues of war risk insurance premium on Nigerian importers and exporters.
In his goodwill message, the current Director General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, represented by the Deputy Director, Reformed Coordinator Deep Blue Economy, Mr Victor Iloh, commended MARAN for bringing the topical issue to the fore, as it has become a problem bothering on national security and trade policies.
He explained that Nigeria’s statutory geographical position in the Gulf of Guinea, exposes her to maritime insecurity driven by piracy, armed robbery attacks and geographical conflicts, leading to the imposition of war risk insurance premium.
Significant progress has however been made in securing the nation’s maritime domain with no recorded incident in the last four years which he noted, has been attributed to Nigeria’s integrated maritime security architecture, known as “The Deep Blue Project”, which was inaugurated in 2021 and the deployment of Maritime Assets on both land, sea, air and intelligence, to secure the Nigerian waters. This led to the enactment of the Suppression of Piracy and other related Maritime Offences “SPROMO Act” in 2019 and since 2020, two major convictions of pirates have been secured by the Federal High Court.
According to the NIMASA DG, Nigeria’s maritime security safety led to her being de-listed by the International Maritime Bureau from the list of piracy- prone zones in 2021 and the commendations of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) re – enforced the achievements.
He also stated that the IMB Forum removed Nigeria’s name as a high risk maritime zone in 2023 while constant collaboration with other maritime regional bodies had contributed significantly towards reducing piracy in the Gulf of Guinea waters.
Despite all these recorded milestones of improved maritime security, he stated, the impact of war risk premium on the Nigerian economy has continued to be enormous.
” It sounded regrettable that Nigerian Importers and Exporters have paid over five billion dollars worth of war risk insurance premium over the last three years.”
He placed on record that in addressing the problem, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Chief Adegboyega Oyetola and the Management of NIMASA had held diplomatic and stakeholders engagement with the Chattam House, FIMCO and other developments partners such as the Danish Government and the IMO towards discussing the strategic milestones recorded by Nigeria in driving maritime security and the need to leverage on those to remove the war risk insurance premium on Nigeria-bound cargoes.
While these engagements are still ongoing, the main focus is still on sustaining the recorded milestones.
The NIMASA boss said the call for the removal of war risk insurance premium is a collective action that must not be left for the government alone. All relevant stakeholders must be prepared to enhance their ability to understand the security threats as that would protect seafarers and promote safe and secure maritime operations.
Continuous engagement is the way to go, Dr Mobereola advised, until the much- desired results are achieved. He commended MARAN and the esteemed participants for such a great event which is hosted to discuss a major contributor to the high cost of goods which end up in individual homes.
Other goodwill messages came from the Executive Secretary of the Abuja Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, Captain Sunday Umoren and the President of the African Shipowners Association, Captain Adebowale others.
In his remarks, Frank Ogunojemite, President, African Association of Professional Licenced Agents, dwelt on the continuous surcharge of seven percent on cargoes at the ports and asked the Minister’s representative, Dr Bolaji Akinola to convey his concerns.
Maritime Agencies
NAGAFF Deplores Foreign Domination of Freight Forwarding, Tasks Indigenous Operators to Form Combines.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The National Assembly has been charged to enact a legal framework compelling consolidation by local freight forwarders to ensure they avoid fragmentations which unwittingly expose them to avoidable dominance by their foreign competitors. Pooling resources together as a formidable business entity, it is canvassed, stands to position them to better contribute to national trade and security.
National Secretary-General of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Godfrey Emeka Nwosu made the call in a policy briefing on the future of freight forwarding in Nigeria, as he describes consolidation as a “strategic imperative” for the industry.
Tochukwu Ezisi, NAGAFF National President
The growing fragmentation of local freight forwarding companies, he painted out, was weakening their capacity to compete with better-capitalized foreign firms. To overcome this development, local operators should urgently embrace consolidation to enable them build stronger and more competitive Nigerian-owned logistics business entities.
Indigenous freight forwarding companies, he canvassed, must come together and consolidate their operations as failure to so could leave them increasingly vulnerable to foreign dominance in Nigeria’s logistics and maritime sector.
It is no longer about the survival of individual freight forwarding entities but about Nigeria’s ability to retain value in-country and internationally to ensure foreign competitors do not render them irrelevant in international trade.
He warned that without stronger indigenous companies, local operators could continue to lose market share and strategic opportunities to foreign competitors.
Going further, the NAGAFF Scribe identified consolidation as a national security imperative as better-organized cargo movements would make it easier for regulatory and security agencies to monitor consignments and detect suspicious activities.
“Consolidated cargo is easier to monitor, reducing risks of smuggling and illicit trade,” he stated.
He called for investment in warehouses, transport corridors and digital cargo management systems, as well as capacity-building programmes for freight forwarders and customs brokers.
This would be complemented by stronger public-private partnerships among government agencies, freight forwarders, shippers and port operators to create an efficient logistics ecosystem.
Nwosu said the freight forwarding sector was a critical enabler of international trade and warned that the dominance of small, fragmented operators had created vulnerabilities that could be exploited by foreign competitors.
According to him, bringing smaller freight forwarding companies together would enable operators to pool resources, cargo volumes, infrastructure and expertise, thereby reducing costs and improving service delivery.
“Consolidating multiple smaller freight forwarding companies into larger, unified firms offers a strategic solution to enhance competitiveness, efficiency and resilience,” he said.
Nwosu explained that consolidation would allow operators to share cargo space and transportation resources, reducing per-unit logistics costs while limiting exposure to under-utilized capacity and empty runs.
He said stronger companies would also be better positioned to invest in warehouses, transportation networks, digital systems and skilled manpower, giving indigenous operators the capacity to compete for larger cargo volumes and contracts.
The NAGAFF official said the benefits would extend beyond freight forwarders to shippers, Customs, port operators and the wider economy.
He said shippers would have access to more affordable and reliable logistics services, while Customs authorities could benefit from more structured cargo movements that would simplify inspection, documentation and clearance.
For port operators, he said, more coordinated cargo evacuation would help improve cargo flow and reduce congestion.
Maritime Agencies
NIWA, Private Agency Target Pollution Elimination, Job Creation To Clean Lagos Waterways.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and PARTS Central Ltd are partnering to clean up the country’s inland waterways by identifying sources of indiscriminate accumulation of waste within the inland waterways and environs. The partnership also involves the removal, recycling and conversion of such waste into economic value.
This initiative expected to promote environmental sustainability and create employment opportunities for communities living along the waterways is in line with the comprehensive environmental reform programme introduced by Bola Oyebamiji, former Managing Director of NIWA.
In a joint statement, NIWA Lagos Area Manager, Engr. Sarat Braimah and Managing Director, PARTS Central Ltd, Henry Olaoluwa Onifade said the Lagos unveiling is aimed at briefing stakeholders in Lagos on the benefits of the initiative and to seek their support and buy-in to ensure it succeeds.
Apart from improving inland waterway navigability by eliminating debris, pollution-related accumulations and obstructions, the nationwide initiative is also expected to enhance the conservation of aquatic biodiversity, some of which remain largely undocumented. It will also contribute significantly to the growth of Nigeria’s fisheries economy.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has consistently emphasized the need to strategically harness the vast potentials of Nigeria’s inland waterways beyond transportation. He has positioned them as key drivers of economic diversification under the blue economy framework.
This arrangement underscores NIWA’s commitment to innovation and sustainable development.
Maritime Agencies
Seme Customs Arrests 2, Intercepts Explosives, Expired Noodles As Command’s Revenue Hits N19.8bn.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
Working in collaboration with sister security agencies, the Seme-Krake Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, between May and July 2026, intercepted 3,300 cartridges of explosive materials, a truckload of expired noodles, parboiled foreign rice and other smuggled goods valued at N365.16 million.
Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Abdullahi Kaila disclosed this, Tuesday, while giving a rundown of operational achievements made within the period in view.
According to Comptroller Kaila, the interceptions resulting from credible intelligence, sustained surveillance and intelligence-driven operations by Customs officers demonstrated a commendable example of collaboration with sister security agencies. He described the seizure of the explosives as one of the most significant security interventions recorded by the Command and warned that if allowed to enter the country, such materials could be diverted for criminal purposes.
The explosives which originated from Ghana, the CAC explained, have been handed over to the Police Force Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit for safe keeping and investigation. Two suspects allegedly involved were also handed over to the appropriate investigation agency.
“Explosives of this nature have devastating consequences when they fall into the hands of criminal elements. They have the potential to facilitate terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes capable of threatening national peace and security.”
The Controller also unveiled a truck said to be carrying wholesome food items. But on investigation, it was found to carry 1,306 sacks of expired noodles arranged in bags, each weighing 50 kilogrammes. Intelligence gathered showed that the noodles in loose form was to be repackaged and relabelled before being introduced into the Nigerian market. Kaila said the interception had prevented potentially harmful food products from being unleashed to the unsuspecting consumers. By this, he said, border security is also a form of support for public health protection.
He further disclosed that the Command seized 1,268 bags of foreign parboiled rice, each weighing 50 kilogrammes, smuggled into the country through illegal routes. Such illicit importation, he regretted, not only deprives government of legitimate revenue but also undermines the Federal Government’s agricultural policies designed to encourage local rice production and the welfare of local farmers.
The Command intercepted 373 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, 90 packs of Tramaking 250mg, 69 packs of Royal Tapentadol 250mg and 310,000 sticks of Time/Yes cigarettes. He said the seizures had helped disrupt criminal supply chains and prevent dangerous substances from reaching Nigerian communities.
Other prohibited items impounded during the period include one used speedboat, one used water bike, one used Toyota Land Cruiser 2017 model, one used Toyota RAV4 2016 model and one used Nissan Versa 2010 model whose total combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) stood at N365,163,709.
He promised hard times for smugglers as the Command is determined to continue to deploy intelligence, surveillance and collaboration with other security agencies to frustrate their evil acts.
“To those engage in smuggling activities, our message remains unequivocal: Seme is no longer a safe corridor for economic sabotage,” he said.
Seme Command generated N19.84 billion between January and July 2026, thus surpassing her total revenue collection of N15.94 billion recorded throughout 2025. In the first seven months of 2026, the Command generated N19,840,280,788.50,
representing an increase of N3.899 billion or 24.45 % over the N15,941,258,676.01 realized in 2025.
The CAC attributed the revenue growth to improved compliance, enhanced stakeholder engagement and strengthened operational efficiency.
“This achievement demonstrates that effective enforcement and efficient trade facilitation are complementary responsibilities. While we continue to deny smugglers opportunities to undermine the economy, we remain equally committed to creating an enabling environment for compliant traders to conduct legitimate business with ease and predictability, ” he stated. He pledged that the Command would continue to support the Federal Government’s economic reforms, promote regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), facilitate compliant trade and ensure that smugglers had no safe haven within its area of responsibility.
He expressed appreciation to sister security and government regulatory agencies for their cooperation, intelligence- sharing and commitment to national security. The seized illicit drugs and unregistered pharmaceutical products were subsequently handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and necessary action.
NAGAFF Deplores Foreign Domination of Freight Forwarding, Tasks Indigenous Operators to Form Combines.
NIWA, Private Agency Target Pollution Elimination, Job Creation To Clean Lagos Waterways.
Seme Customs Arrests 2, Intercepts Explosives, Expired Noodles As Command’s Revenue Hits N19.8bn.
FOU Zone ‘A’ Customs Recovers over N729m Revenue, Intercepts Smuggled Goods Worth N3.24bn.
Key Industry Stakeholders To Focus on Ports Competitiveness as MARAN Hosts MAMAL.
NAGAFF Tasks Bonded Terminals To Suspend All Illegal Fees Collections, Refund N178m.
CGC Restates Position on Illicit Arms, Unveils Intercepted Weapons and Drugs Worth N373m
Topfield College Clinches Overall Position as Customs’ WASA Sports Event ends in Lagos.
ECTS: PTML Customs Mounts an Awareness Campaign
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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.
ABUJA MoU: WE FUNCTION BEHIND A MASK, says Capt Umoren
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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.
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PHOTO NEWS: Maritime Capacity Development
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MAN, ORON: It’s Encomiums Galore From International Seabed Authority (ISA).
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News3 weeks agoDisaster Imminent in Apapa as Widening Cracks Overtake Liverpool-Marine Road Junction. ………. Stakeholders Send SOS to Government.
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Maritime Agencies3 weeks agoCSR: Customs CG Hosts Apapa Students in Sports, Pledges Sponsorship for Outstanding Young Athletes.
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Maritime Agencies2 weeks agoECTS: PTML Customs Mounts an Awareness Campaign
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Maritime Agencies2 weeks agoTRANSQuest MAGAZINE @ 21: With Huge Maritime Endowments, Stakeholders Warn, Nigeria Can’t be Poor, Government Must Realign Her Priorities.
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Maritime Agencies3 days agoSeme Customs Arrests 2, Intercepts Explosives, Expired Noodles As Command’s Revenue Hits N19.8bn.
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Maritime Agencies2 weeks agoAfCFTA: Nigeria, Cameroon, Benin To Establish Joint Customs Strategic Steering Committee on Beitbridge Communique.
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Maritime Agencies2 weeks agoTopfield College Clinches Overall Position as Customs’ WASA Sports Event ends in Lagos.
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Maritime Agencies1 week agoCGC Restates Position on Illicit Arms, Unveils Intercepted Weapons and Drugs Worth N373m