Maritime Agencies
SCAN’s 2024 Dockworkers Day: Oyetola Commits To Ports Infrastructure Renewal. …….. Adeyanju Condemns Delayed Ports Concession Agreements Renewal
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
In collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has mapped out programmes to renew ports infrastructure nationwide as a direct response to lingering concerns about decaying infrastructure. This is to improve port efficiency and ensure that Nigeria participates competitively in the global maritime trade.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, H.E. Gboyega Oyetola disclosed this in Lagos,Thursday, when the Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN), in collaboration with the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), marked the 2024 Dockworkers’ Day with the theme ‘DOCKWORKERS: Key To Unlocking Nigeria’s Blue Economy’.
Speaking through Olujimi Oyetomi, the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, the Minister said that in line with the presidential mandate, the Ministry would continue to foster a favorable environment to encourage private sector participation in exploiting the potentials of the blue economy.
“This is necessary to attain the goals, enhance opportunities, and harness the immense benefits in the sector,” he explained.
Adding his voice to ongoing concerns about the delay in renewing ports concession agreements, the MWUN President-General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju condemned the current stand of the federal government on this matter, regretting that the ports concession agreements renewal is long overdue.
He appealed to the Federal Government to expedite action on the renewal as this has a lot to do with seamless operations at the seaports.
“We want to see the renewal of the licenses of terminal operators. There are a lot of dividends that we are getting from responsible terminal operators. Why are you delaying the signing of their agreements? The workers are now warming up because they are worried about what is happening to their employers,” Adeyanju pointed out.
He also called for enhanced capacity building for dockworkers, urging terminal operators to invest in training maritime workers and engage qualified personnel to lead these efforts.
Adeyanju further lamented that despite huge funds invested to upgrade equipments at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, international recognition of certificates from the school is lacking.
In her intervention, Princess Vicky Haastrup, Chairperson, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) stressed the need for training and retraining, charging the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to use the 0.5% stevedoring levy which terminal operators remit in dollars to train dockworkers.
She expressed disappointment that NIMASA has so far, shirked her responsibility to dockworkers in this respect by refusing to utilize the funds for this purpose, despite the huge acruals over the years.
Haastrup described the port concession programme as a “transformative game-changer for dockworkers” because it has led to improved working conditions and safety standards, enhanced productivity and efficiency, increased job security and better remuneration for dock labour.
She equally noted that the STOAN, MWUN, and NIMASA have collaborated to enhance dockworkers’ welfare through the regular signing of the Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), which have ensured fair treatment, payment of living wages and retirement benefits to dockworkers.
“Today, dockworkers have comprehensive and robust conditions of service, which include health insurance, life insurance, pension, gratuity, and bonuses. This is a monumental improvement over what obtained in the pre-concession era. The industry’s collective efforts have institutionalised fair labour practices, recognising the vital role dockworkers play in the maritime sector,” she noted.

In his keynote address, Ascanio Russo, Managing Director, PTML Terminal, referred to dockworkers as the engine room of port operations.
Beside prioritizing dockworkers’ general welfare, he explained, PTML has gone further to send some of its dockworkers abroad for training.
Investments in the training of dockworkers, Russo observed, will enable the ports function optimally and increase revenue generation to the government.
Supporting the view on training, Chief Adebayo Sarumi, former Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) charged NIMASA to set up a training school for dockworkers.
Maritime Agencies
Capt Warredi Enisuoh Set To Deliver Keynote Speech At 10th AMSAY Conference.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
Captain Warredi Enisuoh, Executive Director, Operations and Technical at the Tantita Security Services Ltd, will deliver the keynote speech at the 10th Annual Maritime Students and Youth Conference (AMSAY) billed for June 10, 2026. Venue is the Conference Hall of the Mission To Seafarers, 29 Marine Road, Apapa GRA, Lagos.
As stated in a release, Enisuoh will speak on the lead paper entitled, “The Youth and the Future of Nigerian Maritime Sector: Understanding How Nations Develop Their Maritime Industry.”
Organised by Platforms Communications annually, the arrowhead, Sylvanus Obasi, says the AMSAY Conference has over the past decade evolved into a critical platform for youth advocacy, mentorship and stakeholders’-students engagement to discuss and proffer solutions to contemporary issues affecting the future of Nigeria’s maritime sector, having consistently driven conversations around industry reforms, capacity growth, innovation and sustainable development.
With over two decades of global experience spanning maritime operations, aviation, and national security, Captain Enisuoh is widely regarded as a leading authority in maritime safety, shipping development, and infrastructure protection in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
He holds a Master Mariner Class 1 Unlimited Foreign Going License, an Aircraft Pilot’s License, and a Diploma in Aviation. His academic journey includes training at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron; Arab Maritime Transport Academy, Egypt; Australian Maritime College, University of Tasmania; Tasmanian Aviation College; and the Swiss Air Training Centre in Zurich.
Over the years, he has held strategic roles across continents, including eight years with Pacific International Lines in Singapore and six years with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). He also served as a lecturer, instructor, course developer, and examiner at the Australian Maritime College.
In Nigeria, he contributed significantly to sectoral development during his tenure at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), where he served as Director of Maritime Safety and Director of Shipping Development.
Capt Warredi”s Keynote Speech will also feature a high-level panel discussion moderated by Captain Dr. Fola Ojutalayo, Marine Surveyor and Senior Lecturer at the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology.
Panelists are drawn from diverse segments of the maritime industry, including regulators, shipowners, local content experts, technical professionals, legal practitioners, operators, and the academia as representatives from NIMASA, Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN), Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA), Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), NLNG Shipping and Marine Services Limited, and the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, are expected to discuss the lead paper .
Maritime Agencies
Ports Police Seek Stronger Media Collaboration to Boost Maritime Security.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
The Ports Authority Police (Western) Command has called for deeper collaboration with maritime journalists as part of efforts to strengthen security within Nigeria’s port environment and support the growth of the nation’s maritime economy.
Commissioner of Police, Ports Authority Police (Western) Command, CP Oluwatoyin Iyabode Agbaminoja, made the call on Tuesday while receiving the newly elected executives of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) during a courtesy visit to the Command Headquarters in Apapa, Lagos.
The visit, led by MARAN President, Mr. Oluyinka Onigbinde, provided an opportunity for both parties to reaffirm their commitment to promoting safety, security, and operational efficiency across Nigeria’s maritime domain.
Speaking during the engagement, Onigbinde commended the Command for its efforts in safeguarding the nation’s ports and other critical maritime assets, noting that security remains a key pillar for sustainable trade and economic development.
He pledged MARAN’s continued support through responsible journalism, accurate reporting, and constructive engagement with stakeholders in the maritime sector.
According to him, the media has a crucial role to play in creating public awareness, promoting transparency, and highlighting issues that impact the efficiency and competitiveness of Nigerian ports.
In her remarks, CP Agbaminoja congratulated the newly elected MARAN leadership and acknowledged the association’s longstanding contribution to the dissemination of credible information on developments within the maritime industry.
She emphasized that stronger cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the media would enhance public trust, improve security consciousness, and contribute to national economic growth.
The Commissioner noted that effective communication and timely information sharing are essential in addressing security challenges within the port ecosystem, stressing that the media remains a strategic partner in achieving those objectives.
She further assured the association of the Command’s readiness to maintain open channels of communication and foster productive partnerships aimed at advancing port security, maritime safety, and trade facilitation.
Nigeria’s ports serve as critical gateways for international trade and revenue generation, making security within the maritime sector a matter of national economic importance. Stakeholders have consistently advocated greater collaboration among security agencies, regulators, operators, and the media to strengthen surveillance, curb criminal activities, and improve operational efficiency.
The meeting concluded with both the Ports Authority Police Command and MARAN reaffirming their commitment to sustained engagement and cooperation in support of a safer and more efficient maritime industry.
Maritime Agencies
New MARAN Leadership Set for Inauguration, June 23.
By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
Nigeria’s pioneer maritime journalists’ body, the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) will inaugurate her brand new Executive Council on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at the Rockview Hotel, Apapa, Lagos.
The high-profile event which is planned to bring together key stakeholders from the maritime, shipping, logistics, security, and media sectors will also feature discussions on strengthening ethical standards in maritime journalism.
The theme of the inauguration is “Upholding Ethical Journalism for Maritime Development.”
The Chairman of the occasion is Emmanuel Maiguwa Gankino, President, Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN), while the keynote address will be delivered by Mr. Bolaji Abimbola, a leading public relations and event management expert.
Special Guests of Honour expected at the event include the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola; the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho; the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Barr. Pius Akutah Ukeyima; and the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR. Also expected are chief executives of maritime agencies, captains of industry, leaders of maritime associations, terminal operators, shipping companies, freight forwarders, and other critical stakeholders across the maritime value chain.

Speaking ahead of the inauguration, MARAN President, Comrade. Oluyinka Onigbinde, described the event as a defining moment in the association’s journey towards deepening professionalism, credibility, and responsible maritime reportage.
The new executive council, he stated, will focus on repositioning MARAN as a stronger voice within the maritime sector through capacity building, constructive engagement, and adherence to ethical journalism standards.
He noted that the theme of the event underscores the indispensable role of the media in promoting transparency, accountability, and sustainable development within Nigeria’s maritime industry.
“The maritime industry is central to Nigeria’s economic growth, and ethical journalism remains a vital instrument for ensuring that developments within the sector are accurately reported and constructively engaged,” he added.
Onigbinde further called on government agencies, industry operators, and media practitioners to continue supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening maritime journalism and advancing the nation’s blue economy aspirations.
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