Maritime Agencies
GLOOMY BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT: Okwuashi Urges FG To Re-introduce Marketing Boards, Among Other Measures.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
For Nigeria to make any reasonable impact in reversing the prevailing gloomy business environment, the Federal Government should urgently consider re-introducing the defunct Marketing Boards to implement an enduring price control policy for all goods and services. This is in addition to other pragmatic measures whose target is to regig the economy for the benefit of all.
The Board will monitor and ensure that prices of commodities are not arbitrarily increased in the market especially with this belief that once prices increase in Nigeria, they do not go down.
“Government should sell a functional policy through the Central Bank of Nigeria to ensure that foreign exchange is readily available to importers in the country to sustain effective importation of goods at minimal cost of foreign exchange.”
Professor Alex Favour Okwuashi, Proprietor and Founder, Certified Institute of Shipping of Nigeria (CISN), Badagry, Lagos,
was speaking on the theme “Business Transactions And Rising Costs: The Way Forward” at the 20th anniversary and award event organized by the People’s Forum Magazine & Online publication.
Government, he advised, should also roll out an effective monetary policy that will boost the value of the Naira such that too much Naira will not pursue few goods in the market.
“When the value of Naira improves, it will definitely improve the purchasing power of an average citizen. Government should do all it can to stop the inflationary trend in the country by introducing policies that will create wealth and active productivity among citizens.”
“There must be a revolutionary change in our mode of transportation within the country. I recommend a review of the removal of the subsidy by government to stop the ripple effect it has on the cost of goods and services due to the high cost of transportation.”
However, he suggested that due to the current shortfall in government revenue to carry out development of infrastructure, government must not cave in to current pressures to reverse the removal of oil subsidy but on the condition that genuine palliatives which are implementable are available to drastically reduce the effect on the common citizens.
“There is need to encourage local content through floating policies that will help local industries to survive through provision of steady and cheap energy supply.”
He equally canvassed for the opening up of all feeder or rural roads and the availability of raw materials for production in local industries.
Stimulating conversation and inculcating entrepreneurship skills and innovation among youths, he emphasized, will boost job creation and employment, thereby availing wealth to sustain financial empowerment and a perfect and competitive market structure.
He called for a mechanism to periodically evaluate market forces operating in the country. As the watchdog of society, the media, he said, should critically expose all anti-economic saboteurs of government policies so as to put a check on rising costs.
Also the media should steadily inform the public of price dynamics and how to get goods at cheaper prices without any sharp practices. He added that as entrepreneurs, business owners must learn to adapt to the current industry trends and practices in order not to be left behind when relevant trends are evolving.
“While we urge the government to do its part in creating a more favourable environment for businesses to thrive, we must also be proactive to pursue the trends as we cannot get new results by practising old systems”.
Okwuashi who also doubles as the founder, Coastal Polytechnic, Magbon, Badagry, Lagos, commended the People’s Forum Magazine for bringing up for deliberation such a topic he described as very relevant to contemporary national issues especially at a time when the rising cost of goods in the market is overwhelming.
The CISN Founder who was represented by Pastor Okereke, the institution’s registrar, called for the re-introduction of a modified cabotage law which emphasizes employment and ship building so as to encourage a capacity building process for the marine and blue economy.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is ever committed to sustain and even surpass the current zeal with which it is prosecuting enhanced revenue generation, trade facilitation, professionalism and stakeholder collaboration because every legitimate revenue collected strengthens government’s capacity to deliver on its development priorities and improve the lives of Nigerians.
The Command’s image maker, Chief Superintendent of Customs Isa Suleiman Ibrahim disclosed this in a press release on behalf of the Customs Area Command Controller, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba.
The release disclosed a historic revenue collection of Twenty-Eight Billion,One Hundred and Two Million, Nine Hundred and Fourteen Naira, Sixty-One Kobo (₦28,102,000,914.61k) on Tuesday, 18th August, 2026, the highest single-day revenue collection ever recorded by the Command.
The feat, the release indicated, surpasses the previous daily record of ₦20.1 billion, achieved in September 2025, shortly after the assumption of office of the present Customs Area Controller, CAC, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba.
The new record is achieved weeks after the Command recorded an unprecedented ₦323 billion monthly revenue collection in July 2026, thus demonstrating the sustained impact of reforms, improved compliance, enhanced trade facilitation, intelligence-driven interventions and the increasing efficiency of digital Customs processes.
Commenting on the feat, Comptroller Oshoba stressed that the achievement is not simply about figures or records. It is about what the Nigeria Customs Service is contributing to the economic wellbeing of Nigerians.
Revenue generated by the Service, he explained, forms part of government resources used to fund public priorities including infrastructure, security, education, healthcare and other services that ultimately impact the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
He therefore dedicated the milestone to the Government and people of Nigeria, while commending the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and the management team of the Service for their continued support for modernisation, automation and reforms aimed at making Customs operations more efficient, transparent and business-friendly.
The CAC also acknowledged the cooperation of compliant importers, exporters, licensed Customs agents and other stakeholders, as well as patriotic Nigerians who have provided actionable intelligence in achieving this feat.
He stressed that every compliant transaction contributes to national development and urged stakeholders to continue supporting legitimate trade since a stronger revenue base gives the government greater capacity to respond to the needs of the people and create an environment where businesses can thrive.
Comptroller Oshoba charged officers and men of the Command to see the record as a clarion call to do more.
He emphasised that revenue collection must be achieved alongside trade facilitation, professionalism, transparency and respect for stakeholders, directing personnel to resolve legitimate disputes promptly and ensure that Customs procedures do not unnecessarily hinder lawful businesses.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
As the political space is heating up and preparations underway for the 2027 general elections, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has restated her firm determination to tighten the noose against the illegal entry of arms and ammunition which could promote violence in Nigeria.
DIG Johnson Babatunde Kokumo (rtd).
Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr Adewale Adeniyi made the vow in Lagos, Monday, while handing over seized weapons to the Office of the National Security Adviser through the Director-General, National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, (NCCSALW), Deputy Inspector-General of Police Johnson Babatunde Kokumo (rtd).
Identifying Robert Eze and Ejiogu Godson as the alleged importers of a consignment containing 399 fully assembled JoJeF pump-action rifles and other firearm components intercepted at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos, the Custom boss said surveillance and enforcement operations are being intensified to prevent criminal networks from exploiting Nigeria’s land borders, seaports and airports to import dangerous arms to further their evil intentions.
The two persons arrested.
Additional rifle parts intercepted by the Customs include 89 frames, 16 heat shields, 10 trigger pins, three pistons, 25 locking lugs, 80 charging handles and 39 pistol-grip screws. Others are 34 springs, 57 trigger groups, 66 foregrip latches, 45 foregrips/handguards, four pistol grips and five barrels.
“We are about entering a major election cycle, and we know that by this period, men of the underworld will want to use our borders, our ports, our airports to bring in items like this,” CGC Adeniyi warned.
”We are going to redouble our efforts to ensure that we do not allow them to do so,” he added.
He explained that since Customs cannot physically open every container entering the country, applying technology-driven risk profiling in operations has become a tool to identify suspicious consignments. Risk management system enables the Service to determine which containers require physical examination. This particular interception, he explained, demonstrates the effectiveness of the system.
Having completed the inventory and assessment of the illicit shipment, the CGC handed over the seized armaments to the Director General of the NCCSALW. This underscores a unified inter-agency commitment to taking dangerous weapons entirely off the streets and ensuring that cabals behind the trafficking network are tracked down and brought to justice.
The CGC described the development as more than a seizure, noting that the interception, investigation, arrest of suspects, prosecution and handover of the firearms represented a complete enforcement chain.
He added that Robert Eze and Godson Ejiogu, the two suspects arrested during the preliminary investigation, had been remanded by the Federal High Court in Lagos, awaiting arraignment for August 25.
The Service, he pledged, would continue to strengthen intelligence – gathering, risk management and collaboration with sister security agencies to identify and disrupt attempts to smuggle firearms into Nigeria.
Accepting the arms and ammunition for further action, the NCCSALW Director-General, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Johnson Babatunde Kokumo (rtd) described the handing-over as a decisive step in strengthening the collective security of the people.
”This is more than a ceremonial handing/taking over of seized intercepted illicit weapons. It is a statement of intent, a commitment to protect lives, uphold justice and preserve the stability of our communities.”
The proliferation of illegal small arms and light weapons, he explained, remains a primary catalyst for terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and insurgency and other violent crimes.
”Armed violence fuelled by uncontrolled weapons through illegal importation or smuggling exerts a devastating toll on civilian lives, disrupts communities and undermines the foundation of governance and development. Nigeria cannot be indifferent to this reality. Our own assessment has shown with discomforting clarity that a significant proportion of illegal arms in circulation may have at some point passed through official channels.”
DIG Kokumo reiterated that illicit weapons taken out of the hands of nonstate actors is a direct blow to criminal networks and a vital step towards safeguarding innocent citizens.
”So far, over 21000 arms and light weapons have been retrieved while over 19000 have been destroyed since the establishment of NCCSALW.”
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
Former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, will be the keynote speaker at the 2026 edition of the Maritime Annual Maritime Lecture, (MAMAL).
The flagship annual programme being hosted by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) takes place on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at the Nigerian Air Force Event Centre, No. 1 Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. Time is 10am.
MAMAL is MARAN’s flagship programme which brings together key government officials, maritime industry regulators, academics, shipping magnates, freight forwarders, journalists and other critical stakeholders in the maritime sector to deliberate on issues affecting the growth and competitiveness of Nigeria’s maritime industry.
The theme of this year’s lecture is “Nigerian Ports Modernisation, Charges and the Competitiveness Question.”
The Executive Director, Technical, of TANTITA Security Services Limited, Captain Warredi Enisuoh will serve as the Chairman of MAMAL 2026, while the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola, will be the Special Guest of Honour.
Speaking on the significance of the theme, MARAN President, Mr. Yinka Onigbinde, said the lecture would provide an important platform to examine the urgent need for modernisation of Nigerian ports and the benefits such modernisation would bring to the nation’s economy.
According to him, efficient and modern port infrastructure is critical to improving cargo handling, reducing delays and costs, attracting investment and strengthening Nigeria’s position as a competitive maritime hub.
Onigbinde said MAMAL 2026 would also provide an opportunity for stakeholders to engage in constructive discussions on port charges and other factors affecting the competitiveness of Nigerian ports.
He described Hajiya Hadiza Bala Usman as an experienced voice in the maritime sector whose wealth of knowledge and experience would add significant value to the discussions at the lecture.
The MARAN President also expressed the Association’s appreciation to Captain Warredi Enisuoh for accepting to chair the event, describing his experience in maritime security and industry development as an added value to the programme.
He noted that the presence of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy as Special Guest of Honour further underscores the importance of the theme and the Federal Government’s efforts towards repositioning Nigeria’s maritime sector for greater efficiency and competitiveness.
The MARAN President noted that the 2026 edition of MAMAL is the fourth in the series, underscoring the Association’s commitment to providing a credible platform for informed debate and professional engagement on critical maritime issues.
Apapa Customs in Historic Revenue Boost, Nets N28 Billion In One Day.
COUNTDOWN TO 2027 ELECTIONS: Customs Hands Over 399 Seized Rifles To NCCSALW .
Ex-NPA MD, Hadiza Bala Usman, Set To Deliver Keynote Address At MAMAL 2026.
NAGAFF Petitions IGP On Alleged Police Extortion, Harassment At Sea Ports.
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
AfCFTA: Nigeria, Cameroon, Benin To Establish Joint Customs Strategic Steering Committee on Beitbridge Communique.
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.
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.
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OMIS AWARDS, 2022: Greg Ogbeifun, Industry Gurus For Special Recognition.
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JANUARY-MAY REPORT: Seme Customs Hits N2.6bn, Facilitates ₦35.1bn Exports.
B’Odogwu: Apapa Customs Collects ₦161b in 3 Weeks, Assures of Improvements .
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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 Agencies3 weeks agoECTS: PTML Customs Mounts an Awareness Campaign
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Maritime Agencies1 week agoSeme Customs Arrests 2, Intercepts Explosives, Expired Noodles As Command’s Revenue Hits N19.8bn.
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Maritime Agencies3 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 weeks agoAfCFTA: Nigeria, Cameroon, Benin To Establish Joint Customs Strategic Steering Committee on Beitbridge Communique.
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Maritime Agencies3 weeks agoTopfield College Clinches Overall Position as Customs’ WASA Sports Event ends in Lagos.
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Maritime Agencies2 weeks agoCGC Restates Position on Illicit Arms, Unveils Intercepted Weapons and Drugs Worth N373m