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‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
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‎Come December 4, 2025, Nigeria’s pioneer maritime media group, the  Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) will launch an industry publication entitled ’50 Drivers of Nigeria’s Marine and Blue Economy’.
‎Venue of the landmark event is the Providence Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
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‎As stated in a release by Godfrey Bivbere, MARAN President, the publication, among other things, pays a befitting tribute to  individuals, organizations and institutions whose innovation, leadership, and dedication have, over the years, shaped the transformation and growth of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy.
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‎The compendium aims to celebrate excellence while serving as an essential resource for policymakers, investors, and researchers who have interest in understanding the evolution and future prospects  Nigeria’s maritime industry has to offer.
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‎“This indispensable volume educates professionals on the rich history and vast opportunities within the blue economy, while spotlighting individuals and organisations whose efforts are helping Nigeria harness its marine resources responsibly for sustainable growth and national development,” Bivbere said.
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‎The publication, he noted, is the outcome of months of extensive research and painstaking editorial work by MARAN members, meticulously documenting the contributions of key players, agencies, and associations driving progress in the sector.
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‎The event is expected to attract top government officials, regulators, shipowners, terminal operators, freight forwarders, and other industry stakeholders.
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‎Bivbere described the launching as a celebration of excellence, professionalism, and service within the maritime industry.
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‎“Arrangements are in top gear to make this launch a memorable occasion, one that brings together the finest minds in the maritime and blue economy space,” he added.
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‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
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‎In what has been described as the first of its kind in the history of the Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML)
‎ Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, a huge seizure of 1000kg, equivalent to one tonne of cannabis sativa concealed in an empty container originally designated for export use was unveiled Tuesday and handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.

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‎The seizure whose value stands at ₦29.4 billion, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller J.A. Anani explained, is the first of its kind in volume and means of conveyance the Command has recorded.
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‎The startling discovery on October 7, 2025, Comptroller Anani said, followed a routine disinfection of 39 empty containers brought in for export loading.
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‎”On the 7th of October, 2025, the PTML terminal operator brought to the attention of the Command that in the process of disinfecting 39 empty containers that were brought into the country for loading of exports consignments, it discovered some suspicious items in a 1x20ft container number GCNU1332851.”
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‎”The Command immediately conducted joint examination on the container with sister government agencies including the NDLEA, Department of State Service, Police Anti-Bomb Squad and others.”
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‎”A total of 50 packages containing 20 parcels each were found inside the container. Rapid tests conducted on the substances found in the container tested positive to cocaine and it was jointly weighed with officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. The total weight of the substance was found to be 1000kg (1 tonne).
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‎The duty paid value (DPV) of this cocaine stands at ₦29,403,738,000, Comptroller Anani announced even as other containers Jointly examined by all other port agencies were empty.”
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‎Inside the container, officials found 50 packages, each containing 20 parcels of cocaine, totaling 1,000 kilograms. Rapid tests confirmed the substance, and the NDLEA has since taken custody of the seizure for further investigation.
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‎“This is not just the first hard drug seizure in PTML’s history,” Anani stated, “but also one of the most mysterious cocaine interceptions ever recorded by the Nigeria Customs Service.”
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‎Preliminary investigations suggest the container was purposely loaded as empty from Freetown, Sierra Leone, with no consignee listed, thus, making the entire arrangement unusual. All other containers examined were confirmed to be empty.
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‎No arrest was made as there was no consignee in respect of the container arriving Nigeria since it did not come as import. The terminal operators brought it empty to be used for conveyance of export goods.
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‎ Commending the PTML terminal operators for being vigilant and swift in reporting, Comptroller Anani emphasized the importance of inter-agency collaboration in safeguarding Nigeria’s ports.
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‎The Command, he restated, is ever committed to maintaining its  no-go area status for prohibited items and will not  tolerate any stakeholder out to test her will in this regard.
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‎In line with a standing directive of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Controller handed the seizure to the NDLEA for further action.
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‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
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‎The practical deployment of the Electronic  Cargo Tracking System (ECTS) technology in real-time cargo monitoring, the first of its kind, took place Wednesday at the Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service. The ECTS, a digital initiative, is designed to enhance national security, boost revenue generation and facilitate seamless trade across Nigerian ports.

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‎The Apapa Command experiment which was successfully done using a container designated for the Kano/Jigawa Area Command, marked the first practical deployment of the technology in real-time cargo monitoring says the Command’s image maker, Superintendent of Customs Tunde Ayagbalo on behalf of the Controller.
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‎Speaking as the event, the Customs Area Controller, Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, described the ECTS as a strategic initiative that enables real- time monitoring of cargo movement from the point of departure to the final destination. The system, he explained, uses electronic seals and hand-held devices to track containers, ensuring transparency, preventing tampering, and eliminating diversion of goods in transit.
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‎Comptroller Oshoba noted that Apapa Command is serving as the pilot stage for the nationwide rollout of a technology designed to drastically reduce the need for physical escorts, as customs officers can now monitor cargo movement electronically.
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‎He commended the vision of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, describing him as a reform-driven administrator who has consistently championed automation and innovation. He highlighted that the ECTS has already been implemented in several countries and as the current Chairperson of the World Customs Organization (WCO), the CGC has ensured that Nigeria adopts similar modern tools to improve its trade environment.
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‎Throwing more light, the Head of B’Odogwu Implementation at Apapa Command , Deputy Comptroller Aondona Christopher Fanyam, explained that before the container reaches Kano Command, it remains sealed and cannot be opened until proper authorisation is confirmed at the destination. He said the ECTS provides three secure methods for unlocking a container: remotely through the central control system, locally via an authorised hand-held device such as a mobile phone used by trained officers, or by using a physical unlocking card designed specifically for use at the destination.
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‎He added that these layered access options are part of the system’s in-built  safeguards to prevent unauthorised tampering or diversion during transit. The combination of remote control, hand-held verification and a physical card ensures that only properly authorised personnel can release cargo, reinforcing cargo integrity and strengthening overall security and revenue protection.
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‎The Team Leader of the training unit , Chief Superintendent of Customs , Rosemary Ebele Wenceslas said the service has trained  a total of 12 officers participating in the pilot phase of the Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS). The team comprises personnel drawn from the Rapid Response Unit of the Federal Operations Unit Zone A Ikeja (FOU) and the Enforcement Team of Apapa Area Command.
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‎ The officers, she  explained, have undergone intensive training to ensure they are fully prepared to manage and operate the new tracking technology efficiently. All Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) related to the ECTS have been clearly communicated to them, enabling smooth implementation of the initiative.
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‎CSC Wenceslas noted that with the knowledge and technical capacity they have acquired, the officers are well equipped and ready to deploy the devices effectively, ensuring that the pilot stage achieves its objectives of enhanced cargo monitoring, security, and trade facilitation.
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