Maritime Agencies
EASE OF DOING BUSINESS: Port Industry Expert Advocates ‘Ports Area Logistics Ring’ At MAJAN Parley
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
Relevant authorities in the ports sector have been charged to come up with a redesigned ports masterplan to delineate and include critical geographic areas that must be reserved only for port activities.
This should form part of the measures government is putting in place to ensure that the ease of doing business in the ports system bears the desired fruits across board.
This will also enable municipal area planners, port administrators, state governments, federal authorities and other agencies to effectively regulate and control the proliferation of non-port businesses that may want to encroach into the areas so designated as port zones.
Capt Iheanacho Ebubeogu
Port operations expert and key member, Nigerian Ports Consultative Council (NPCC), Capt Iheanacho Ebubeogu stated this in Lagos, Thursday, while speaking during a roundtable organized by the Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria (MAJAN) for
the Chairman and executive members of the NPCC.
Calling for the creation of what he called the ‘ports area logistics ring’, Capt Ebebeogu who retired as General Manager, Public Communications and Strategy of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) emphasized the need to deepen barge operations, toll collection and other measures to ensure that the efficiency of the ports system is logistics-based.
Oil tankers and haulage trucks, he emphasized, must be made to submit to the Eto electronic system of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). Their movement on the ports access corridor should be streamlined and a dedicated lane reserved for them so as not to cause any obstruction for commuters and other road users who also have the right to enjoy the common-user facility the ports access corridor offers to all and sundry.
He said the geographic triangle encompassing Mile 2, Babs Animashaun Junction (Surulere), Orile and Ijora Olopa should be designated a ports area logistics ring in Lagos to serve as a special area to serve the ports. By her nodal location, he explained, Mile 2 forms the closest gateway to the major ports of Tincan Island and Apapa.
He frowned at a situation miscreants and hoodlums brazenly line up at Mile 2 and freely waylay, beat up and even kill truck drivers exiting the ports all in efforts to extort money. He also condemned the rate at which non-port related businesses spring up along the corridor, thereby contributing to traffic gridlock and making nonsense of the ease of doing business effort of the NPA.
Speaking about barge operations, Capt Ebebeogu highlighted the advantages in the port system. Rather than operating as individual business concerns, he advised, barge operators should come together, form combines under one viable body to qualify to source reasonable funds to maintain the capacity and integrity needed for meaningful investment as barge operation is capital-intensive.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Consultative Council (NPCC), Prince Bolaji Sunmola described the NPCC as a vital decision-making body overseeing port-related matters including operations, safety and environmental impacts.
“We are composed of a diverse set of industry experts, government representatives and community stakeholders. Since its formal establishment before Nigerian independence in 1960, the NPCC has played a pivotal role guiding the policies, operations and long-term strategies for the Nigerian port industry. Initially formed when Nigerian ports were mere wharves, our history reflects significant milestone in ports modernization such as the digitalization of operations and public-private partnerships.”
“The mission of the NPCC is rooted in fostering stakeholder collaboration for sustainable development in the ports sector. Our vision is to create a collaborative platform where industry leaders, stakeholders and local communities can come together to drive innovation, dialogue and economic expansion in the port industry. We are committed to maintaining best practices, ensuring safety and promoting environmental starwardship as pillars of our activities.”
He pledged that going forward, NPCC would collaborate with MAJAN, to project her activities and all engagements that promote positive activities in the port sector.
Members of the NPCC executive council who accompanied Prince Sunmola to the MAJAN Secretariat were the NPCC Vice Chairperson, Mrs Jean Chiazor Anishere (SAN), Capt Iheanacho Ebebeogu, Chief Basil Opara and Madam Jamila Haladu who represented the NPA.
Others were Messrs Tokan Lawal Babatunde and Babamusa Dannasir of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.
Maritime Agencies
Dangote Lauds NPA’s One-Stop Shop Committee, Donates Coaster Bus To Ease Operations
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has received commendation for demonstrating tact and economic sense in the way and manner it implemented the Federal Government’s policy on domestic sale of crude oil and refined petroleum products in Naira.
The President/ Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote made the commendation while donating a brand-new Coaster bus to the One-Stop Shop (OSS) Committee to further ease her operations.
In a letter he personally signed, Alhaji Aliko Dangote assured that his organisation would continue to explore ways to support the NPA-led committee to sustain its successes in the implementation of the presidential directive on the sale of crude and refined products.
“In recognition of the enormous responsibility placed on the shoulders of the One Stop Shop (OSS) by the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, and our commitment to ensuring the committee delivers on its mandate”, the letter stated, “I am pleased to donate to the committee one (1) brand new Coaster bus to facilitate the daily discharge of their operations.”
“We believe this bus will be used productively by the committee as we continue to look for ways to support and appreciate the efforts of this noble committee.
Mr Zach Adediji, Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Services
It is recalled that during a recent visit to NPA, the Chairman, Technical Sub-Committee on the implementation of the Federal Government’s policy on domestic sale of crude oil and refined products in Naira, Zach Adedeji,
commended the One-Stop-Shop (OSS) Team, led by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for ensuring smooth operations of the directive. Adedeji is the Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
He lauded the team led by NPA for playing a pivotal role in the successful implementation of the presidential directive on the domestic sale of crude oil and refined products in Naira.
Adedeji said: “We recognize that this pioneering effort is a significant achievement, and no doubt reflects your commitment and patriotism”.
“Thus, we encourage you to maintain the hard work and dedication that has made this initiative a success.
“We also extend our gratitude to all participating agencies for their invaluable cooperation and support,” Adedeji stated.
Maritime Agencies
Release Approved N200bn Capital Projects Fund To MAN, Oron, House of Representatives Charges NIMASA .
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
In her determination that the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron is adequately empowered to function to achieve her statutory mandate, the House of Representatives has directed the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to release the N200 billion approved for key projects at the apex maritime training institution.
Hon Khadija Abba- Ibrahim, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration made the appeal when the management of NIMASA appeared before the Committee for the 2025 budget defence. To drive home her point, the Committee reminded NIMASA that it was aware that the approved project fund is contained in the agency’s 2025 revenue target of N774.66 billion.
Dr Kevin Okonna, Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron.
In his presentation, Chudi Offodile, the agency’s Executive Director, Finance and Administration who stood in for the Director-General, Dr Dayo Mobereola explained that when federal remittances funding, maritime fund contributions and other deductions are made, N264.96 billion would be available for operations.
He listed freight levies, offshore waste management, sea protection and ship registration as primary revenue sources, alongside new gains expected from automation, the rollout of a modular floating dock, amongst other economic and financial prospects.
Speaking on the budget performance for 2024, the executive director disclosed that actual collections for last year amounted to N370 billion as against the projected N467.4 billion which stands at 79% performance rate.
“Recurrent expenditures reached 87% of budgeted allocations, while capital spending stood at 51% implementation,” he said.
While drawing NIMASA’s attention to what the committee described as significant fiscal shift in the remittance of 50% of its IGR to the federal treasury, Hon Abba -Ibrahim described the development as “a significant departure from the previous policy that allowed the agency to retain all IGR”.
The committee expressed concern on the need to double the revenue target in view of the N97 billion shortfall recorded in 2024. It also expressed worries on the observed rise in personnel costs, from N42 billion in 2024 to N73 billion in 2025.
The committee wondered how NIMASA plans to implement ₦89 billion in capital projects when 50% of its revenue would be deducted at source.
In his response, the NIMASA Executive Director, Finance and Administration explained that budgets are mere projections which depend on economic variables. He attributed the ambitious 2025 targets to anticipated oil production increases, enhanced revenue automation, and what he referred to as operational scale-up.
“We are confident that with better systems and strategic partnerships, we can meet these targets,” he assured.
Maritime Agencies
NPA Berths Nigerian-Owned Container Vessel,”MV OCEAN DRAGON,” To Boost Incountry and Regional Trade,
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), 2nd July, 2025, berthed “MV Ocean Dragon”, the first wholly Nigerian-owned container vessel.
The craft with International Maritime Organization (IMO) Number 9508770 which belongs to Clarion Shipping West Africa Limited has a capacity of 349 Twenty-Foot-Equivalent Units (TEUs) and demonstrates a concerted investment drive by the NPA aimed at reaping the gains of cost and time- saving benefits of short-sea shipping by plying in-country maritime trade routes across Nigeria and the West African sub-region. It offers an efficient alternative to road transport as the Authority’s efforts at deepening multi- modalism in transportation is being realized.
The vessel is scheduled to operate across West Africa and beyond, servicing ports in Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Egypt, South Africa and others, with expressions of interest for businesses already being established.
As stated by Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, Managing Director/ CEO of the NPA: “this development is a testament to our relentless commitment towards deepening efficiencies required for maximizing our marine and blue economy potentials in line with the prompting of the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola whose tenacity of purpose culminated in the recent FEC approval of the national policy on Marine and Blue Economy”.
Speaking about the development too, the Vice President of Clarion Shipping West Africa Limited, Bernadine Eloka, described the acquisition of the vessel as a bold solution to the high-risk, road-dominated movement of cargoes within Nigeria. It signifies a strategic move to deepen regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The Clarion Group, she stated, aims to offer more efficient intra-African shipping services while opening up new business opportunities across ports in Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast and beyond.
“We acquired MV Ocean Dragon to offer a seamless alternative to container haulage by road. Rather than struggling to move containers from Lekki to Onitsha, Port Harcourt, or Calabar by trucks, Ocean Dragon can move up to 349 containers by sea and deliver within two days from port to port,” Eloka said.
According to her, enforcement of the cabotage regime would encourage local investment, create jobs, and reduce Nigeria’s dependency on foreign-owned shipping lines.
Also speaking, Managing Director of Clarion Suncity Terminal Logistics Limited, Mustafa Mohammed, said the company would take aggressive steps to compete with global giants such as Maersk Line and MSC, by leveraging its status as Nigeria’s first indigenous shipping liner, investing in assets that directly support Nigerian exporters and importers, particularly in the landlocked regions.
He said the company had already secured bookings for 1,300 export containers and is helping farmers and manufacturers to avoid losses caused by delays and lack of containers.
This development is coming on the heels of the announcement by the NPA MD of injection of 60 million USD in fresh investments towards the establishment of eco-friendly ports developments catalyzed by the Authority’s renewed orientation towards Nigerian content development.
Dangote Lauds NPA’s One-Stop Shop Committee, Donates Coaster Bus To Ease Operations
Release Approved N200bn Capital Projects Fund To MAN, Oron, House of Representatives Charges NIMASA .
NPA Berths Nigerian-Owned Container Vessel,”MV OCEAN DRAGON,” To Boost Incountry and Regional Trade,
NIGERIAN PORTS AUTHORITY BERTHS FIRST WHOLLY NIGERIAN-OWNED CONTAINER VESSEL.
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Maritime Agencies3 weeks agoCG Adeniyi Commends Ogun II Command for Massive Revenue Increase.
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Maritime Agencies2 weeks agoPORTBIZNESS Celebrates Excellence in Customer Service Delivery, Holds Special Awards Night
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Maritime Agencies2 weeks agoKebbi Customs Command Introduces Health Screening, Mandatory Sports To Ensure Work-life Balance
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Maritime Agencies3 days agoNPA Berths Nigerian-Owned Container Vessel,”MV OCEAN DRAGON,” To Boost Incountry and Regional Trade,
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Maritime Agencies4 days agoHALF-YEAR REVENUE DISPOSITION: Apapa Customs Hits N1.38Trillion, Confiscates Prohibited Goods Worth Billions.
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Maritime Agencies4 days agoNIGERIAN PORTS AUTHORITY BERTHS FIRST WHOLLY NIGERIAN-OWNED CONTAINER VESSEL.
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Maritime Agencies2 hours agoDangote Lauds NPA’s One-Stop Shop Committee, Donates Coaster Bus To Ease Operations
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Maritime Agencies4 hours agoRelease Approved N200bn Capital Projects Fund To MAN, Oron, House of Representatives Charges NIMASA .