Maritime Agencies
Oyetola Opens LIMWEEK 2024, Harps On Port Efficiency and Safety
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
Nigeria’s Marine and Blue Economy Minister, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola says in the maritime world, port efficiency and safety are critical components that can never be overlooked while discussing economic growth, trade and investment.
The Minister stated this in Lagos, Tuesday, while declaring open the 2024 edition of the Lagos International Maritime Week (LIMWEEK) and the Business To-Business Conference and Exhibition with the theme ‘Navigating the Future of Africa’s Marine & Blue Economy – Safety First.’
Improvement in safety and ports efficiency, he explained, top the chart on the responsibilities President Bola Tinubu handed to him to achieve as Minister.
The Minister, who was represented by Mr Chinedu Mbam, Legal Director in the Ministry, added that government was fully committed to drive the modernisation and improvement of the ports and maritime infrastructure.
By upgrading the nation’s ports to global standards, he noted, Nigeria will position herself to become a leader in international maritime trade since ports serve as gateway to prosperity.
“We understand that port efficiency and safety are not options; they are imperatives for unlocking the full potential of the blue economy. This is significant because safety remains the cornerstone upon which all maritime operations and business success rest.”
Through key safety initiatives such as the Deep Blue Project, he explained, Nigeria and, indeed the Gulf of Guinea, have achieved reasonable reduction in maritime crimes such as piracy, sea robbery and smuggling.
Mrs Sofiye Uzor (Centre) receiving the Award on behalf of Engr Greg Ogbeifun.
In his contribution, the Lagos Star Commissioner of Police acknowledged his responsibility to secure the maritime domain, including the intricate inland waterways crucial to Nigeria’s economy and Africa’s broader maritime sector. “The Gulf of Guinea, as many of us are aware of, is both a region rich in resources and a key artery for global maritime trade also faces persistent security challenges. The Nigeria Police, through its Maritime Command, has played a pivotal role in securing our maritime domain. Our mandate extends beyond merely patrolling the waterways. We work hand-in-hand with other national and international agencies to protect vital assets, combat piracy and ensure that our marine environment is safe and secure for all stakeholders.”
The Police boss who spoke through Chief Superintendent of Police Segun Falemara said as a matter of routine, the Police collaborates with NIMASA and other critical stakeholders in joint operations to reduce maritime crimes.
“The Marine Police deploys advanced surveillance techniques, leveraging human intelligence and technological solutions to monitor criminal activities along the waterways.”
“Through regional and international partnerships, we ensure our officers are well trained to address emerging maritime threats and security challenges.”
To achieve reasonable security in the Gulf of Guinea, he suggested a coordinated effort from the component littoral states and international partners.
Nigeria, he recalled, has been at the forefront of fostering regional collaboration to ensure a safer maritime environment.
“Some of these include the AGWE Project and the SWAIM SAR Project.” The AGWE Project anchored by the Interpol is a collaborative programme of five West African states aim at training, mentoring and providing equipment for boosting maritime security while SWAIM (Support to West African Integrated Maritime Security) have enhanced the search-and- rescue capabilities in the Gulf of Guinea.
“These initiatives have improved the region’s ability to swiftly respond to maritime emergencies and criminal activities, fostering safety on our waters”. He explained that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has been invaluable in supporting Nigeria’s efforts to combat piracy and armed robbery at sea.
“Through UNODC, the Danish government has funded training programmes that have equipped our offices with Visit, Board, Search and Seizures (VIBSS) procedures in conjunction with the Nigerian Navy to combat illegal activities at sea.
On the proliferation of dangerous materials, he said that partnering with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the US International Counter-proliferation Programme, Nigeria has worked to prevent the smuggling of hazardous materials and weapons of mass destruction into the Gulf of Guinea. This is a critical step towards ensuring that the blue economy is not compromised by illicit activities that would have devastating environmental and security consequences.
The Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Act, 2019, he said, has significantly strengthened Nigeria’s legal framework for tackling piracy and other maritime crimes. “It aligns our national laws with international frameworks and provide the necessary legal backing for prosecuting offenders in Nigeria.”
Through the Harmonized
Standard Operating Procedures (HSOPs), efforts are on to ensure that regional maritime security agencies adhere to harmonized SOPs, ensuring a “legal finish” in prosecuting maritime offenders.
Nigeria participates actively in national and regional maritime security conferences such as the Yaounde Architecture for Maritime Security which facilitates coordination between West and Central African states. Mentoring programmes including training supported by international partners such as the US and European Union have played a key role in improving Nigeria’s operational capabilities. “The Nigeria Police also contributes to the 2050 Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy (2050 AIM Strategy), comprehensive, concerted, coherent and coordinated approach that improve maritime conditions with respect to environmental and socio-economic development as well as the capacity to generate wealth from sustainable governance of Africa’s blue economy.”
The Police boss assured Nigeria’s commitment to the development of her blue economy through fostering safety and security across her maritime domain.
In his intervention from the perspective of the British Royal Navy, Commander Daniel Waskett, SO2 Marine, disclosed the UK strategy which is to establish long-term and mutually-beneficial partnerships with African nations to build on shared interests for safer, healthier and more prosperous future for all. However, like many nations committed to ensuring a free, secure global common maintenance of international rules-based order and supporting democracy, he stated, the UK is experiencing a time of increased operational demand the Royal Navy is deploying globally at a scale unprecedented for many years.
“Destroyers and Frigates are protecting shipping in the Red Sea to ensure trade can continue freely.”
Highlight of the event, among others, was the conferment of a lifetime achievement award on Engr Greg Ogbeifun, Chairman, Starzs Marine and Engineering Co Ltd.
Maritime Agencies
Ehingbeti Summit: Stakeholders Say Coastal Communities Need Funding for Development.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
Maritime stakeholders say to promote sustainable coastal development, attention should be focused on the legal, regulatory, security and investment frameworks required to unlock Nigeria’s blue economy potentials .
Delivering the keynote address at the 4th Ehingbeti Maritime Hub Summit in Lagos, Thursday, President, Maritime Arbitrators Association of Nigeria (MAAN), Chief Jean Chiazor Anishere, SAN, said a dedicated financing mechanism was necessary to address infrastructure deficits and improve the living conditions of people in coastal communities.
Anishere urged Nigeria to explore international financing opportunities through climate funds, development banks and multilateral organisations to scale up coastal resilience and community development.
She said sustained investment in coastal resilience would help strengthen infrastructure, protect livelihoods and create an enabling environment for coastal communities to participate meaningfully in the emerging blue economy.
Nigeria’s blue economy, she stressed, must be underpinned by effective governance as the country needs to establish the legal and institutional conditions required for innovation, investment and sustainable exploitation of marine resources.
There must be a regulatory system that provides security for investors while remaining flexible enough to encourage innovation, environmentally responsible enough to protect marine resources and inclusive enough to benefit coastal populations.
Anishere also advocated improved waste-management infrastructure, sustainable fishing practices, recycling education and environmental stewardship initiatives that directly benefit coastal communities.
Representing the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Bopo Oyekan-Ismaila said the state remained committed to an inclusive approach to blue economy development.
She noted that while Ehingbeti’s history was closely associated with Lagos Island, the state’s blue economy development agenda would encompass communities across Lagos.
According to her, Governor Sanwo-Olu encouraged participants to collaborate and develop a communiqué capable of advancing the blue economy agenda of Lagos State.
In her speech, the convener of the Ehingbeti Maritime Hub and Founder of the Ocean Ambassadors Foundation, Hon. Olaitan Violet Williams said the Hub was established in 2023 to trace and reconnect with the historical roots of maritime activities in Lagos.
According to Williams, Ehingbeti represented an important chapter in Lagos’ evolution from its early trading history to modern-day Eko.
She identified inland waterways as one of the low-hanging fruits of Nigeria’s blue economy and called for greater investment and stronger legal protection for investors.
She said Nigeria’s estimated 10,000 kilometres of waterways cannot deliver their full economic potential if they remained largely unnavigable.
The Chairman of the occasion and Chairman of the NIWA Governing Board, Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu Shagari, represented by NIWA Board Member, Capt. Tajudeen Alao, commended the Convener for her commitment to the development of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy.
Shagari stressed that coastal communities must remain central to the implementation of blue economy policies, while advocating an appropriate legal framework for the development of Nigeria’s littoral states.
Representing the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha, Rear Admiral N.C. Okon called for stronger maritime regulation and effective enforcement of existing laws.
Okon identified “sea blindness” as a factor limiting Nigeria’s ability to fully harness its maritime potential and stressed that collaboration among government agencies, coastal communities and development partners was essential.
He noted that a thriving blue economy could not be sustained amid insecurity, environmental degradation, illicit activities and regulatory uncertainty.
The Naval representative reaffirmed the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to providing the secure maritime environment required for commerce, investment and sustainable exploitation of Nigeria’s maritime resources.
Also speaking, Ekeoma Ezeibe, Chairman, Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), identified insurance as a critical component of maritime and blue economy development.
She said adequate insurance protection was necessary to safeguard maritime assets, infrastructure and businesses against the multiple risks associated with the sector.
A major highlight of the summit was the official launch of the 28 Inland Waterways Investment Jigsaw, an initiative designed to highlight viable investment opportunities across Nigeria’s inland waterways and provide a structured pathway for private-sector participation.
The initiative is expected to support efforts to identify investment opportunities across the country’s inland waterways while encouraging greater private-sector involvement in water transportation and other marine-related businesses.
The 4th Ehingbeti Maritime Hub Summit brought together government representatives, maritime professionals, security stakeholders, legal practitioners, insurers, traditional rulers, academics, private-sector operators and representatives of coastal communities.
The summit reaffirmed the need for stronger regulation, maritime security, sustainable financing, infrastructure development and community inclusion as Nigeria works to translate its blue economy potential into sustainable economic and social development.
Maritime Agencies
Ogun 1 Customs Repeats Stern Warning To Smugglers, Confiscates Latest Brand of Range Rover, Other Contrabands.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The Acting Controller, Ogun Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, has, for the umpteenth time, warned smugglers and people involved in sabotaging the economy to keep off the jurisdiction of the Command as dragnets in place will always catch them.
The Customs boss made the affirmation at Idiroko, Thursday, while unveiling a 2026 Range Rover Sport Autobiography P530 valued at N417, 011, 982 seized by the Command between August and September, 2026. Other seizures include 1,204 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 8675 litres of PMS, 3,893 parcels of cannabis indica weighing 1,878 tonnes and 428 pneumatic tyres. Others include 24 bales of second -hand clothing, four sacks of used shoes and 500 litres of diesel all with a combined Duty Paid (DPV) was N2.469 billion.
The seizures, Afeni explained, reflects the level of commitment of the Command to enforcing customs laws and protecting the country’s economic interests.
He said the Command’s anti-smuggling operations, intelligence-led enforcement and enhanced collaboration with sister security agencies had yielded tangible results in tackling illicit trade and strengthening border security across Ogun State.
Through her sustained anti-smuggling operations along the border corridors, he added, the Command had also intercepted substantial quantities of other prohibited goods .
The Acting Controller said the Command continues to maintain a firm balance between revenue generation and legitimate trade facilitation despite the current constraints she is grappling with.
It has never relented in diligent duty collection, baggage assessment and physical examinations at designated border points.
The Command also optimizes its import and export verification processes to facilitate compliant trade while maintaining regulatory oversight on sensitive goods, including mica stone, CNG, white talc and crushed thermal coal.
To tackle cross-border crime, Afeni explained, the Command has strong operational collaboration with sister security agencies such as the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, NDLEA and environmental management agencies.
Flowing from this, the Command handed over 3,893 parcels of cannabis sativa seized during the period to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Idiroko Special Command, for further investigation.
To build mutual trust and reduce hostility during enforcement operations, the Command has also been engaging traditional rulers, youth leaders and border community associations.
Afeni said the Command’s responsibilities extended beyond customs enforcement to supporting community development and environmental stewardship.
He mentioned that the Command participated in inter-command athletic competitions in August and September, emerging as champions in volleyball.
Acting Controller Afeni hailed the unwavering dedication of his officers and men, as well as the massive support of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and the NCS management team.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The Nigerian Navy has warned that the unregulated deployment of unmanned vessels for maritime surveillance could pose serious security risks to the nation’s maritime domain. It has, therefore, called
for the development of an appropriate legal framework to regulate their use.
Rear Admiral Daniel Atapa of the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Department made the call in Lagos while speaking on behalf of the Chief of the Naval Staff at the Lagos International Maritime Week (LIMWEEEK) 2026 hosted by Zoe Maritime Resources Ltd.
Rear Admiral Atapa said there was the need to harmonise the various maritime architectures under a single command to effectively curb the practice.
Even though each agency is at liberty to operate its own equipment and systems, Atapa noted, the issue of inter-agency rivalry and the harm it has brought to bear on the system often makes it difficult to harmonise the various maritime domain awareness assets for effective coordination and information-sharing.
“There are Maritime Domain Awareness assets with NIMASA, Navy, NPA and the rest. To the extent that there is no regulation or codified framework mandating their use or defining their modus operandi, each agency is at liberty to operate with what it has.
“Also, because of inter-agency rivalry which is silent and which we sometimes do not want to admit exists, it becomes difficult to harmonise these Maritime Domain Awareness assets. So, we continue to operate the way we do until there is a regulation that brings everybody together and says, ‘Come together and operate this way.’
“We still make do with what we have. But once there is a regulation, it will provide the framework for harmonising these assets and ensure better coordination among the agencies.
“On the presence of foreign vessels and navies in the Gulf of Benin, we need to understand that the Gulf is an open sea line of communication. Most of these foreign navies are from countries with significant shipping activities in the region.
“You cannot impose on any country that because our maritime domain is now safe; they should drive away their vessels. To the extent that they were there before the crisis, during the crisis and before the de-escalation, they still have the liberty to operate.
“We cannot tell them to leave the Gulf of Benin because that space is free and freedom of navigation is obtainable for everyone.
“On the unregulated use of unmanned vessels, as I recommended as part of my prescriptions for addressing the issue, there is currently no regulation, and so everybody operates and does what they deem appropriate.
“The implication is that, as long as there is no problem, everybody is fine. But once there is a problem, that will become the test case and demonstrate the need for regulation.”
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Maritime Agencies3 weeks agoNAGAFF Suspends Planned Strike As NPA, Maritime Police, DSS Resolve To End Container Blockage.
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Maritime Agencies3 weeks agoFRESH ARMS IMPORTATION : Customs Hits Criminal Networks Hard, Intercepts 204 Firearms Routed from Turkey.
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Maritime Agencies2 weeks agoZoe Maritime Resources Hosts Lagos International Maritime Week (LIMWEEK), 2026.
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