Maritime Agencies
MAN, Oron, Earns Accolades on Performance Bond for Ministerial Deliverables.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
For commiting to effective implementation of the Performance Management System (PMS) reform of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, H.E. Adegboyega Oyetola has given a special commendation to the Acting Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Dr. Kevin Okonna. Domo Umoekpe, the nautical school’s image maker, stated this in a release.
Speaking during a two-day Management Retreat and Ministerial Handholding Session for Performance Management System (PMS) and the Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) held at the Academy, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS) in the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Hajia Ibrahim Kalthum noted that the Retreat was aimed at driving a successful implementation of the PMS and ECMS in the school. She stood in for the Minister, H.E. Adegboyega Oyetola.
The Ministry, she explained, embarked on these two key reforms to strengthen performance, promote accountability and digital transformation across all its agencies in line with the strategic vision of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Nigerians.
”The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has, in alignment with the vision of His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, embarked on a comprehensive reform agenda aimed at strengthening performance, accountability and digital transformation across all its agencies.”
“The Maritime Academy of Nigeria, as Nigeria’s foremost maritime education and training institution, must lead by example in embracing these reforms, and the Ministry is glad that the Academy is taking these key reforms seriously,” she added.
Stating that the PMS and ECMS have come to stay in the Ministry, Hajia Kalthum said that while the PMS strategically aligns every staff and department to deliver on the Ministry’s mandate and Academy’s core objectives, the ECMS on the other hand streamlines and digitalizes records, processes, and workflows, thereby promoting efficiency, transparency and timely decision-making.
She also emphasised that the PMS was not merely about staff appraisals but fundamentally about strategic execution of tasks and that goals are cascaded seamlessly from the national level to institutional, departmental and finally to individual levels.
Staff performance, she added, is assessed objectively using well-defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) while capacity gaps are identified and addressed through targeted training and development.
For the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, the reforms will translate into improved training outcomes, global competitiveness, and enhanced service delivery to cadets, seafarers, and stakeholders in the maritime industry.
“The Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) represents a collective march towards digital transformation; records will no longer be buried in physical files but digitally stored and easily retrieved. Processes will be streamlined, cutting down inefficiencies and delays. Inter-departmental collaboration will be seamless. Data integrity and institutional memory will be preserved for future generations. This is particularly important for the Academy as it seeks international recognition, accreditation, and compliance with global maritime standards,” she said.
Hajia Kalthum urged the Acting Rector to constitute Performance Management System (PMS) Champions who will help the Management drive the effective implementation of this new system. These champions should be visible with dedicated t-shirts and caps, and a special day set aside for PMS awareness, just as has been done in the Ministry, where every Thursday, champions wear the PMS uniform and go round creating awareness.
She assured that the Ministry would continue to provide the Academy with oversight, technical support and periodic reviews to ensure the success of the reforms and urged participants to embrace the change and see themselves as enablers, not burdens.
In his intervention, the Acting Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Dr. Kevin Okonna lauded the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy for his exceptional leadership strides which is evident in the Ministry’s outstanding scores in the rating of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit, CRDCU, of Ministerial Performance in the Presidential Priorities of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Dr Okonna said that in 2024, the Academy’s contributions to the Ministry’s Deliverables included training of 4,775 seafarers and dockworkers, provision of laptops and desktops to more staff to improve productivity. Others are increased staff capacity building drive to promote expertise and improve standards and the implementation of the PMS of the Federal Government to promote accountability.
While pledging the Academy’s continuous dedication to contributing its quota to the Ministerial Deliverables, the Acting Rector referenced the significant role the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy played in helping the Academy secure positive responses from shipping companies and associations for onboard training opportunities for cadets.
On maintenance of standards of safety courses on offer in the Academy, the Acting Rector said that the Academy is effectively collaborating with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), adding that the Academy would soon be signing an MOU with the Abuja Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control for West and Central Africa Region, in respect to a course developed by the Academy for the Abuja MOU to enhance deliverables in the sub-region.
Management, he announced, has taken necessary steps to get the Nautical Science Cadets registered with the Institute of Nautical Studies, the Engineering Cadets registered with the Institute of Marine Engineers, Science and Technologists, (IMarEST), and the Maritime Transport Cadets registered with the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, (CILT) , Nigeria.
The aim is to ensure that all Cadets derive tremendous benefits of membership of these professional bodies. He also promised to deploy required resources towards the full deployment of the ECMS in the Academy.
”I am proud to celebrate the Honourable Minister, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, for his ingenuity at administering the affairs of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, as the Ministry continues to record the highest score in the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit’s (CRDCU) rating of Ministerial Performance in the Presidential Priorities of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.”
“I also appreciate the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olufemi Oloruntola, and the hard work of the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS), Hajia Kalthum Ibrahim and the other PMS/ECMS Implementation Team Members for their contributions in ensuring that the Ministry maintains its leadership role in delivering on its mandate towards the achievement of the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda for Nigerians.
The theme of the event was “
The high point of the event with the theme “Building capacity for the implementation of the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy in Nigeria,”
was the signing of the 2025 Departmental Performance Bond by the Directors and Heads of Departments with the Acting Rector of the Academy in the presence of the Minister’s representative.
Maritime Agencies
NAGAFF Pledges Watertight Enforcement, Unveils A More Formidable 100% Compliance Team.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The 100% Compliance Team of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) which appeared inactive for over six months is now reformed and better focused to perform her duties strictly in line with her mandate.
The Team Coordinator, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko, disclosed this in Lagos, Friday, during the official unveiling of a new office complex at Eleganza Plaza, Apapa.
“Today, we commission the new secretariat of the 100% Compliance Team and we are ready to take this Team to a higher pedestal”.
He said that for over six months, the interventionist outfit went into some kind of hibernation to take a comprehensive review of internal issues especially concerning her operations and the overall conduct of her operatives with a view to performing better.
”From today”, he pledged, “you will start seeing the effects of a new Compliance
Team”.
On stakeholder concerns that some operatives of the Team do not live above board in their conduct even as it is said that he who goes for equity must come with clean hands, Tanko said among every twelve, there must be a Judas.
On the question of discipline, every society is made up of the good, the bad and the ugly, he posited
”We are doing everything possible to sanitise the system and to continue to maintain discipline”.
Tanko who promised that the Team is now ready to build into the training programme of the NAGAFF Academy said as part of the rebirth now unveiled, Customs Area Commands are now to support regular refresher courses for freight forwarders especially in the aspect of classification. He assured that going forward, the Team’s programmes and activities are to benefit from full digitalization.
He announced that the Team is set to acquire a new office in Port Harcourt which it plans to open come February. “We are working hand- in-hand with the Economic and financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Anti-Corruption Practices Commission (ICPC) to make Nigeria stronger. We shall also expand this new place to accommodate the TDI that will also hopefully open in February.”
Dr Boniface Aniebomam, NAGAFF Founder
Earlier in his post-inauguration remarks, NAGAFF Founder, Dr Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam extolled the willingness of NAGAFF leaders to add value, describing it as the driving force behind the association. Those running the Compliance Team, he cautioned, must understand the limit of their position. “The saying ‘See something, say something’ is very observatory.”
” Do note that the Port is a Customs Port. If Customs has not released your cargo, do not make trouble until it is done; if it is released on the ground of expediency, also remember that other sister agencies are also there to intervene. The NAGAFF approach is centred on dialogue, communication, diplomacy and discussion.
Chief Tochukwu Ezisi, NAGAFF National President
NAGAFF President, Chief Tochukwu Ezisi recalled that when the NAGAFF 100% Compliance Team was inaugurated four years ago, the industry was at crossroads. There were compliance gaps, procedural inconsistencies even as operational shortcuts worked against efficiency and operational trust.
”Many wondered whether a single team could truly shift the culture of an entire industry.”
He said with the birth of the Compliance Team, the level of regulatory compliance among freight forwarders nationwide went up while infractions, delays, penalties and operational setbacks took the back seat.
He explained that strengthened collaboration with key government agencies, especially the
Nigeria Customs Service, promoted ethical conduct and professionalism and has contributed significantly to improved revenue assurance for the Federal
Government.
The Compliance Team has equally enhanced the reputation of NAGAFF as a responsible, forward-thinking, and compliance-driven organization.
Chief Ezisi set ambitious targets for the repositioned NAGAFF 100% Compliance Team to include full Digital Compliance Integration as the goal is to become the most digitally-compliant freight forwarding body in Nigeria.
The group is also out to reduce compliance infractions by 60% within two years through training, monitoring and proactive engagement even as institutional collaboration is enhanced.
”We must deepen our partnership with Customs, NPA, SON, NAFDAC, and other regulators to promote transparency, fairness, and predictability in port operations.
NAGAFF will also establish a National Compliance Intelligence Network to help detect detect risks early, identify patterns of malpractice, and protect members from avoidable pitfalls.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
For the umpteenth time, the Ports Terminal Multi-services Limited (PTML) Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has made it clear that it remains a no-go area for unlawful trade under any guise.
As a Command, the PTML Customs has an unshaken commitment to implement the Revised Kyoto Convention, which is a World Customs Organisation (WCO) instrument for trade facilitation while using available manpower and technology to exercise the required control for import and export trade.
The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Joe Anani stated this at the Command Headquarters in Apapa, Friday, while handing-over seized arms and ammunition to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).
The seizures consist of five (5) pistols of different makes, one (1) Crossman pump master rifle, 132 Remington live cartridges, 51 9 mm Lugar live ammunition and four (4) 9mm magazines.
Others were forty (40) 9mm, NIM FC 30-30 blank and hollow ammunition and one hundred and eighteen (118) of 9mm empty shells.
”These arms and ammunition were uncovered in 25 different occasions by our officers during the examination of imported vehicles between 2022 to 2025.”
”These seizures are a fallout of the collective due diligence of the Command and other sister agencies in the port.”
The handing-over, he explained, follows the approval of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR psc(+).
Present at the event was the South- West Coordinator, National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) and his entourage. Others were the Management of Port and Terminal Multi-services Limited, sectional heads and heads of other sister agencies.
He explained that under the NCS Modernisation Project which was pioneered by the PTML Command, the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS), also known as B’Odogwu, has raised the bar for productivity.
”I am pleased to announce that this Command will receive scanners soon as part of the modernisation project and our capacity to detect concealments, like these arms and ammunition would be greatly enhanced.”
Appreciating the Command’s compliant stakeholders for their cooperation at all times, he described them as l part of the Command’s success story.
The CAC announced that two days to the end of January, 2026, the PTML Command collected a total revenue of ₦44,058,849,416.65. This figure surpasses N40,497,594,223.89 realized in January, 2025 by N3,561,255,192.76, marking an 8.8% increase in revenue.
On behalf of the CGC, Comptroller Joe Anani formally handed over the seizures to the National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) for appropriate action.
Maritime Agencies
WAR AGAINST KILLER DRUGS: Apapa Customs, NDLEA Collaborate To Nab Huge Quantity of ‘Canadian Loud’.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
In her unwavering efforts to ensure that killer – drugs do not find entry into Nigeria, the Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has, in liaison with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), intercepted a 347.5 kilograms of ‘Canadian Loud’ concealed in an imported Toyota Sienna car. The highly – valued substance is a potent strain of cannabis, ordinarily known as marijuana.
As stated in a press release by CSC Isah Suleiman, the Apapa Customs Command Public Relations Officer, the contraband hidden in 13 bags within one of four vehicles contained in a single consignment was discovered following a painstaking weighing exercise. A breakdown shows ten bags at 25kg each, one at 29kg, and two at 34.5kg and 34kg respectively, totaling 347.5kg.
This interception marks the fourth major joint drug bust by the Nigeria Customs, Apapa Command and the NDLEA in less than two months.
In his remarks, the Apapa Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba re-enacted his warning to criminal elements and their networks to keep off the Command as the Command is always ahead of them to exploit whatever antics they deploy to undermine national security via the ports.
“Any attempt by criminal elements to traffic prohibited items through Apapa Port will be detected and thwarted. We remain vigilant and resolute in the discharge of our duty to protect our society and national security.”
He emphasized that under his watch, no cargo, whether import or export will pass through Apapa Port without thorough examination.
The operation also reflects the exemplary cooperation between Customs and NDLEA, championed by the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, PhD. Intelligence sharing and joint tactical efforts have consistently outmaneuvered smuggling networks in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
Oshoba credited this strengthened partnership for the success, noting that the upcoming deployment of a high-capacity drive-through scanner capable of processing 200 containers per hour will further revolutionize anti-smuggling operations.
Both agencies continue to operate under strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that foster zero tolerance, professionalism, and seamless cooperation. In line with established protocols, the seized cannabis has been formally handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation and prosecution of suspects linked to the consignment.
This latest success builds on the recognition accorded to Comptroller Oshoba and NDLEA Apapa Special Area Commander Mohammed Tukur, who were both awarded the WCO Certificate of Merit on January 26, 2026, in Abuja during the International Customs Day celebrations.
Oshoba further explained that the interception aligns with the 2026 ICD theme: “Customs Protecting Society Through Vigilance and Commitment.”
While Customs remains committed to facilitating legitimate trade, the CAC reaffirmed, it will intensify efforts to disrupt illicit activities and safeguard society.
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