Maritime Agencies
NAGAFF Inaugurates Silver Jubilee Celebration Committee, Targets N500M For New Secretariat
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF),Thursday, inaugurated a 33-man committee for her Silver Jubilee celebration.
The committee is also charged with the responsibility to raise N500 million to erect a new National Secretariat.
At the event, NAGAFF President, Chief Toochukwu Ezisi recalled that 25 years ago, Dr. Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam founded the body as a bold initiative to revolutionize the freight forwarding industry in Nigeria.
“Today, as we look back,” he continued, “we see not just an organisation, but a thriving community that has consistently upheld its values of integrity, professionalism and excellence”.
He expressed great excitement for two significant milestones in the journey of NAGAFF.
“First, we gather to inaugurate the committee responsible for planning our Silver Jubilee celebration—a momentous occasion marking 25 years of unwavering commitment and excellence. Second, we are here to launch the committee tasked with overseeing the acquisition of a new Secretariat, a pivotal investment of 500 Million Naira that will shape our future”.
“As we approach the Silver Jubilee of NAGAFF, we are not merely reflecting on the past but also celebrating the progress we have made in the freight forwarding industry. Our Silver Jubilee is a testament to the collective hardwork, dedication, and vision of every member who has contributed to making NAGAFF a beacon of excellence in our sector. This celebration will honour our achievements, acknowledge our growth, and inspire us as we look towards the future”.
Chief Ezisi explained that the Silver Jubilee Planning Committee will play a crucial role to ensure that this milestone is marked with the grandeur and significance it deserves.
“Your task is not just to organise an event but to craft an experience that reflects NAGAFF’s values by embarking on a transformative journey with the acquisition of a new Secretariat, a 500 million Naira investment that will secure a future where NAGAFF can continue to thrive, innovate, and lead. Our new Secretariat will serve as a hub for our operations, a symbol of our progress, and a place where we will continue to build on our legacy of excellence”.
He reminded the 33-man committee headed by Chief Afam Chukwuma and Fwdr Stanley Ezenga as chairman and secretary respectively that their target was to identify the right location for the secretariat and negotiate terms. The committee will also ensure that the new secretariat meets the highest standards of functionality and excellence.
Speaking to the media after the event, Chief Ezisi said he expects the committee to achieve higher than the set target because they have what it takes to do so. On the possibility of realizing the new secretariat within his tenure, the president said that government is a continuum.
“Even if it is not acquired during my tenure, the other administration after mine shall continue with that quest”.
In his address earlier, NAGAFF Board of Trustees chairman, Mazi Chidiebere Enelamah went down memory lane on the origin of NAGAF and how Dr Boniface Aniebonam, a man he described as ‘the Nostradamus of our time’ braved all odds to establish what later turned out a formidable body of freight forwarders. He also commended Dr. Iyiola Oni of the University of Lagos, Mr. Sanusi Usman and some others who believed in the vision of Dr. Aniebonam and helped to nurture and grow the association to the present level.
Mazi Enelamah charged the committee chairman and his team to strive to acheive the set target of 500 Million Naira for the acquisition of the new secretariat saying their names would be written in the annals of the association if they do so.
Speaking later, committee chairman, Chief Afam Chukwuma said even though N500 million was ambitious, realizing it is possible. The committee, he assured, has accepted the challenge of meeting the target and surpassing same. The committee, he added, would arrange a befitting 25th anniversary celebration for the body on November 16, 2024, as well as put up a forbidable ceremony to generate funds for the new secretariat.
Maritime Agencies
Suspend Charges Review, Engage Stakeholders, Shippers’ Council Tasks Shipping Companies
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
All shipping companies, shipping agents, and terminals operating within Nigerian ports have been given marching orders to suspend and discontinue the implementation of any review or upward adjustment of their charges until they have fully engaged their stakeholders.
This is contained in a release by Rebecca Adamu, Head of Public Relations of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Nigeria’s Ports Economic Regulator.
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council clarifies that the recent adjustment was approved strictly in accordance with her statutory mandate as the Port Economic Regulator in which case all tariff reviews were conducted in a transparent, structured, and well-defined regulatory process.
”These processes included detailed technical and consultative engagement with affected service providers aimed at examining the cost drivers, operational realities, investment obligations and regulatory compliance.”
”The engagements did not constitute automatic approvals; rather, they informed a broader evaluative process. Final determinations were reached only after rigorous internal, technical, and financial assessments guided by empirical evidence, regulatory benchmarks, and prevailing economic conditions.”
”Notwithstanding, shipping companies, agents, and terminal operators are hereby directed to suspend any intended review of charges until they have duly consulted and engaged their stakeholders. As the Port Economic Regulator, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council will wield the big stick against any port service providers disrupting port operations”, the statement warned.
The Council emphasised that transparency, fairness, and stakeholder participation are fundamental principles underpinning port economic regulation in Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Dr. Pius Akutah (MON), further warned that the Council is empowered under its regulatory mandate to apply appropriate sanctions against defaulting operators, including enforcement measures provided for under relevant regulatory frameworks. He encourages constructive engagement, dialogue, and compliance.
Any service provider that proceeds with charge reviews without stakeholders’ engagement should be prepared to face decisive regulatory action.
He assured that the Nigerian Shippers’ Council remains committed to protecting the interests of port users, promoting fair competition and ensuring a balanced and predictable business environment within the Nigerian maritime industry.
Customs
FG Inaugurates Nigerian Shippers’ Council Board, Highlights Need for Reduced Port Costs, Fair Pricing.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The inauguration of a new Board for the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Monday, sets a clear reform agenda for Nigerian seaports as reduced port costs and fair pricing now take centre stage.
Dr Bolaji Akinola, Special Assistant (Media and Publicity) to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, stated this in a statement.
At the event, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola charged the Board to focus on improving accountability in operations, reduced cost of doing business and strengthened regulation processes across the shipping sector.
The reconstitution of the Council’s governing structure, he stated, follows the resolve of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that good governance and repositioning of the Marine and Blue Economy should serve as a key engine of national economic growth under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Oyetola reminded the Board that as Nigeria’s Port Economic Regulator, the Shippers’ Council is central in efforts to achieve efficiency, transparency and fairness in port charges and service delivery.
Robust economic regulation, the Minister maintained, is critical to lowering trade costs, protecting shippers and improving Nigeria’s competitiveness within the sub-region and beyond.
The Minister urged Board members to provide firm strategic leadership and effective oversight, insisting that regulatory decisions must translate into measurable outcomes, including improved port efficiency, fair pricing, and enhanced trade facilitation.
He called for seamless collaboration between the Board and the Council’s management, while assuring members of the Ministry’s full support in delivering their mandate.
Dr Ibrahim Shema, former Governor of Katsina State, is the Chair of the newly -inaugurated Board. Other members are Dr. Pius Akutah, MON, Executive Secretary/ Chief Executive Officer of the Council; Dr. Emi Membere-Otaji (NACCIMA); Mr. John Aluya (MAN); Rt. Hon. Chiji Collins and Mrs Olufunmilayo Olaseinde.
Others are Dr. Funmilola Rashidat Adeoti; Alhaji Mele Kofo Gladem; Mrs Hafsatu Mohammed (NNPCL); Hon. Maharazu Adamu Dayi; and Mrs. Uzoamaka Okereke from the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Speaking on behalf of the Board, Dr. Shema thanked President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve and commended the Minister for his leadership of the sector. He pledged that the Board would uphold professionalism and integrity while supporting reforms aimed at improving port performance, strengthening regulatory effectiveness, and delivering tangible benefits to shippers and the national economy.
NSC serves as Nigeria’s Port Economic Regulator, mandated to promote efficiency, transparency, competitiveness, and fairness in port operations, while safeguarding the interests of shippers and enhancing the country’s maritime trade environment.
Maritime Agencies
OIL FACILITIES PROTECTION: Tompolo’s Tantita Acquires High-Tech Drones From US Firm.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
Tantita Security Services Ltd (TSSL), the company in charge of security surveillance over oil and gas installations in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region, is in collaboration with Textron Systems Corporation, a United States–based defence and aerospace company, to supply her three advanced Aerosonde Mk. 4.7 Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS).
TSSNL owned by Chief Government Ekpemupolo (popularly known as Tompolo) disclosed the business deal in her website publication of December 29, 2025. The drones will be delivered in a fully ITAR-Free configuration.
The Aerosonde Mk. 4.7 is designed to operate without runways, utilising hybrid quadrotor technology that enables vertical takeoff and landing, as well as fixed-wing flight.
The Aerosonde Mk. 4.7 VTOL UAS, Textron Systems says, is a mature, industry-proven autonomous platform known for its high reliability and operational flexibility. Its dual-mode capability allows it to operate seamlessly in complex and high-risk environments, making it well-suited for security operations within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Giving further insight into the contract, Senior Vice President, Air, Land and Sea Systems at Textron Systems, David Phillips, said the deployment would significantly enhance Tantita’s operational capability.
”The Aerosonde Mk. 4.7 VTOL UAS is a proven solution that will enable Tantita Security Services to expand its capabilities to protect the oil and gas infrastructure essential to Nigerian security and prosperity,” he stated.
The Aerosonde platform has accumulated over 700,000 flight hours across some of the world’s most challenging operating environments, underscoring its reliability and performance.
Tantita Security Services is expected to deploy the systems to strengthen surveillance and protection of critical oil and gas assets across Nigeria.
The contract also includes options for operator training and the supply of additional aircraft to support future capability expansion. Textron Systems noted that the agreement builds on a previous Foreign Military Sale (FMS) contract to Nigeria, further highlighting its ongoing commitment to supporting Nigerian security operations.
Textron Systems is a global leader in uncrewed air, land and sea systems, with the Aerosonde family of UAS currently supporting international customers and operations aboard more than 10 U.S. Navy ships. The company is a subsidiary of Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT), a diversified multinational with interests spanning aviation, defence, industrial manufacturing and finance.
With multiple payload configurations and comprehensive training and support services, the Aerosonde Mk. 4.7 VTOL UAS offers a versatile and efficient solution for security operations in demanding environments, reinforcing Tantita Security Services’ role in safeguarding Nigeria’s critical energy infrastructure.
Suspend Charges Review, Engage Stakeholders, Shippers’ Council Tasks Shipping Companies
FG Inaugurates Nigerian Shippers’ Council Board, Highlights Need for Reduced Port Costs, Fair Pricing.
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Maritime Agencies2 weeks agoOIL FACILITIES PROTECTION: Tompolo’s Tantita Acquires High-Tech Drones From US Firm.
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Maritime Agencies3 weeks agoNEW YEAR CELEBRATION: MARAN Appreciates Stakeholders, Requests Greater Support and Collaboration in 2026.
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Customs2 days agoFG Inaugurates Nigerian Shippers’ Council Board, Highlights Need for Reduced Port Costs, Fair Pricing.
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Maritime Agencies2 days agoSuspend Charges Review, Engage Stakeholders, Shippers’ Council Tasks Shipping Companies