‎
‎
‎
‎
‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
‎
‎
‎
‎
‎As part of the Federal Government’s nationwide water safety campaign aimed at enhancing security on Nigeria’s inland waterways, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, Wednesday, officially launched the distribution of 3,500 life jackets in Lagos State.
‎
‎The event, held during a Marine Safety Sensitization and Life Jackets Distribution Exercise in Lagos, underscores the ministry’s unwavering commitment to a safety-first culture, particularly in riverine communities where water transport is a daily mode of movement.
‎
‎Represented by Dr. Mercy Ilori, a Director in the Ministry, Oyetola disclosed that the initiative—already carried out in Niger, Bayelsa, Anambra, and Akwa Ibom States—would extend to other coastal states over the coming months, with a target of reaching 12 states within the shortest possible time.
‎
‎Highlighting the importance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Minister outlined three core pillars of the campaign. These include Enforcement of the Inland Waterways Transportation Regulations 2023, ongoing public sensitization on safety, and provision of life-saving equipment, including life jackets.
‎
‎Oyetola praised the proactive efforts of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in transforming water transportation in Lagos and commended the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) for its regulatory oversight and public awareness drives.
‎
‎Calling for grassroots participation, the Minister urged boat operators, community leaders, and transport unions to adopt the life-saving slogan: “No life jacket, no entry.” He stressed that life jackets are “shields, not inconveniences,” and called on all stakeholders to make water safety a shared responsibility.
‎
‎Also speaking at the event, the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, described the initiative as a timely intervention. With over 85% of daily commutes in Lagos currently done via road, Osiyemi emphasized the importance of expanding safe and reliable water transport to meet the needs of the state’s growing population.
‎
‎“This initiative is not just about safety gear; it’s about building a safety culture,” Osiyemi said, thanking the Federal Ministry and NIWA for their support and partnership.
‎
‎In his address, NIWA Managing Director, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, emphasized that in the water transport sector, safety is the real measure of success. “While profitability is key in finance, safety is our profit here,” he stated.
‎
‎He reiterated NIWA’s determination to achieve zero fatalities on Nigeria’s waterways and confirmed that six of the twelve targeted states have already benefitted from the campaign. “We are committed to reaching the rest in the next one to two years,” he said.
‎
‎Oyebamiji highlighted the strict safety enforcement in Nigeria: “Here, if you don’t wear a life jacket, you don’t get into the boat. It’s that serious.”
‎
‎Earlier, Mr. Damilola Emmanuel, General Manager of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), welcomed participants and applauded the Federal Government’s leadership on safety. “This is more than just a distribution—it is a significant step toward sustainable water transport. Safety is what keeps our waterways functional and reliable,” he said.
‎
‎The event brought together stakeholders from across the marine and blue economy sector, reinforcing the shared vision of a safe, secure, and efficient inland water transport system across Nigeria.
‎

‎
‎
‎
‎
‎
‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
‎
‎
‎
‎
‎Following an independent, consumer-led survey conducted across more than 30 African countries, Dangote Industries Ltd was, last weekend, named the “Most Admired African Brand”, thus, becoming the first African firm to receive this distinction.
‎
‎The company was also inducted into the Brand Africa Hall of Fame at the 15th annual Brand Africa 100 awards event held at the iconic Africa Hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Alhaji Aliko Dangote

‎
‎The induction which recognises Dangote’s transformative impact on African consumers also celebrated the conglomerate for her influential role in shaping a positive narrative for the African continent.
‎
‎In recognition of his leadership role in driving impactful industrialization, establishing a world-class African brand, and reshaping the continent’s economic future through a benchmark and homegrown enterprise, President/Chief Executive, Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
‎Joining Dangote Industries in the inaugural Hall of Fame were MTN, M-Pesa, Ethiopian Airlines, and South Africa, for consistently ranking among Africa’s most admired brands over the past 5 to 15 years and for building sustainable, globally respected brands.
‎
‎Reacting to the awards, Group Chief Branding & Communications Officer, Dangote Industries Limited, Anthony Chiejina, said the honours reflect the unwavering commitment, excellence, and innovation that define the group’s journey. He added that they are a testament to the dedication of the company’s outstanding team, partners, and stakeholders, who continue to believe in the mission to drive sustainable development and economic growth across the continent.
‎
‎”We also extend our heartfelt appreciation for the Lifetime Achievement Award presented to our Founder and President, Aliko Dangote, for building a purposeful world-class industrial brand that has exceptionally transformed African lives and the African narrative. This accolade celebrates not only his visionary leadership but also his tireless efforts in transforming industries, creating opportunities, and championing African enterprise on the global stage. His legacy is an inspiration to generations of entrepreneurs and leaders across Africa,” he said.
‎
‎Noting that the recognition would further inspire the company to push boundaries, empower communities, and deliver meaningful value across Africa and beyond, Chiejina reaffirmed Dangote Industries’ commitment to excellence, integrity, and transformative growth.
‎
‎In his keynote address, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, Mr Claver Gatete, praised Aliko Dangote, the Hall of Fame inductees, and the Brand Africa laureates for advancing the African agenda. He highlighted the alignment between Brand Africa and the ECA’s mission to promote inclusive industrialization, regional integration, and private sector-led growth. He also called for increased investment in youth-led innovation, regional value chains, and the establishment of a Pan-African Creative Innovation Fund to identify, finance, and globalise Africa’s most promising brands.
‎
‎”I wish to particularly acknowledge MTN, Dangote Group, mPesa and Ethiopian Airlines for consistently maintaining their distinguished positions among the “Most Admired African Brands” category and continuing to set benchmarks in brand leadership, innovation and continental impact,” he said.
‎
‎The 2025 rankings, the organizers reveal, is a stark contrast between rising African optimism and declining brand loyalty. While 68% of Africans expressed belief in the continent—up from 64% in 2024—only 11% of the Top 100 Most Admired Brands are African, marking a historic low and down from 14% in 2024. The report indicates the urgent need for homegrown brands to translate belief into consumer loyalty, and for Africans to more actively support Made-in-Africa products and enterprises.
‎
‎“It is disappointing to see the sharp drop in African brands, which mirrors the ranking of non-African nations as the most influential in Africa,” says Thebe Ikalafeng, Founder and Chairman of Brand Africa.
‎“It’s a wake-up call for Africa—and a barometer of the continent’s lagging industrialization agenda. It’s not enough for Africans to say they believe in the continent—they must buy made-in-Africa. For that to happen, African brands must invest in R&D, continue to innovate, deliver quality, and use authenticity as a differentiator.”
‎

‎
‎
‎
‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
‎
‎
‎
‎
‎As the Federal Government targets 19meters depth for the $1.5bn Lekki  Deepsea Port channel, an approval has been secured for maintenance dredging to achieve a depth of 16.5 metres to 17 metres for now.
‎
‎Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho disclosed this during a weekend visit to the port.
‎
‎He charged the management  to consolidate and prioritize increased transshipment of large volumes of cargoes to landlocked neighboring countries even as he expressed excitement over the rise in current throughput volume at the new port.
‎
‎”Lekki’s capacity to berth super-post panamax vessels and deliver rapid cargo and vessel turnaround positions is a game-changer for Nigeria’s export competitiveness, particularly for agro-allied products, as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) gains traction”, he remarked.
‎
‎”The port’s efficiency is driving steady increases in transshipment numbers, meeting the maritime needs of neighboring countries and supporting NPA’s goal of achieving economies of scale.
‎”This enhanced competitiveness fuels demand, boosts foreign exchange inflows, and contributes significantly to Nigeria’s year-on-year trade surplus, reinforcing the national economy.”
‎
‎ The rising export figures, he noted, was pleasing. The agency hopes that the export volume would double or even triple in the nearest future.
‎
‎He reaffirmed the commitment of the  NPA management to do what is possible   with the support of the Federal Government to ensure that the beautiful throughput trend now in place in the port continues to grow and increase.
‎
‎”So, what are we doing to ensure that this trend continues? We are doing about five things. Now, number one, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola,  with the recommendation of the Nigerian Ports Authority, has gotten the approval for the dredging of the channel at Lekki Port.
‎”This is something that we have been working towards; something that we’ve been discussing for almost two or three years. And finally, we give God the glory that it has happened.
‎
‎Dr Dansoho announced that the agency has also syndicated a strategic partnership agreement with
‎China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) to undertake the dredging in the overriding interest of trade facilitation.
‎
‎”We wanted to also enhance the relationship and make the partnership stronger in a concerted bid to grow Nigeria’s trade volumes”.
‎
‎This, he said, illustrates how serious and supportive the agency could be when it comes to issues concerning Lekki Port.
‎
‎On automation, he stated that being the
‎most current and most modern port  in Nigeria, Lekki Port it is expected to have the technologies and all facilities a modern port requires.
‎
‎”The technology that is here will be part of the main requirements for the deployment of the port community system, which is a precursor for keying into the National Single Window.
‎”We are hoping that other port locations or other terminals will very soon also have 100 percent capability in terms of technology deployment so that once we deploy the Port Community System, keying into it would not be an issue.  I really appreciate that Lekki Port has done well in the area of technology deployment.”
‎
‎H announced that a contract on channel survey has been awarded.
‎”We have awarded the contract for the survey of the channel, which is also a major requirement of the international port and harbour and navigation systems. This will give us more optimisation in the area of channel management around Lekki Port.”
‎
‎On Lekki Port request for a reduction in Ship Dues, the NPA MD explained that many of the equipment the Authority buys to ensure efficiency at the ports are dollarised.
‎”We keep buying Navigational Buoys, Tug Boats and others to ensure efficiency in port operations across the country. Because many of the things that we buy are dollarised, in as much as it’s necessary to lessen the burden of Lekki Port payments to government, Lekki Port should also know that we need to have more money to be able to buy more of these things and also ensure that personnel who are running them are also well paid.
‎”When the Single window is finally deployed, and 95% of port processes become paperless, the revenue at the ports will triple. Electronic transaction will completely or near completely eliminate unreceipted payments in our ports.
‎
‎”When this happens, it is believed that we are going to make more money. At that point, I think NPA will look at the possibility of bringing down the Ship Dues.”
‎The NPA MD also commended the Management of Lekki Deep Seaport for sustaining superior performance and remains unwavering in its commitment to providing every necessary support to optimize the port’s potential.
‎
‎In.his remarks  earlier, the MD of Lekki Port, Wang Qiang presented several key requests for policy support to the NPA MD.
‎
‎”We wish to request for an adjustment of Tariff Structure to reflect service costs and inflation, reduction in Ship Dues specifically for large vessels and feeders, to enhance port competitiveness.
‎
‎He requested for the provision of
‎ Night Pilotage Services to enable 24/7 operations and improve vessel turnaround time, amongst others.
‎The NPA MD also paid a visit to the $19.5bn Dangote Petrochemicals Refinery where he met Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.
‎