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Maritime

Stakeholders Present Maritime Roadmap To Buhari

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10 years ago

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Martime stakeholders and participants at the Maritime Platform National Discourse held  in Lagos recently have set agenda for the Buhari-Ied federal government by designing a roadmap which would guarantee efficient development of the sector in the next 5 years.
The Maritime Platform National Discourse had its theme as, “Nigerian Maritime Sector In The Next Five Years: Deciding Where We Want To Be”.
In a ten-point communique which was released after the Discourse, maritime operators believed that it is high time the federal government showed real commitment to turn maritime potential into realities by supporting shipping development in the country.
According to the communique, stakeholders resolved that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in line with its monetary policy should in the next four months compel commercial banks to provide at least 10% lending regime for the maritime sector, as it is doing presently with agriculture and industry sectors. By so doing, maritime sector will have a guaranteed funding corridor to finance shipping development.
It stated that the federal government should in the next 3 years establish the much needed maritime bank to fund maritime projects and meet financial requirements of the sector, adding that in the next 5 years, no foreign vessel should be allowed to carry Nigerian crude oil because Nigeria has primordial advantage in domestic trade and
indigenous ship owners must be encouraged to grow their fleets through adequate funding and the disbursement of the CVFF to enable them acquire specialised crude-carrier vessels.
The communique reiterated that NIMASA should collaborate with NCDB, NNPC and PPMC to ensure cohesive enforcement of Cabotage Act by immediately stopping foreign vessels from carrying Nigerian refined petroleum product because Nigeria has about 373 Cabotage vessels which are qualified enough to carry the nation’s refined oil products.This is because according to current statistics, Nigeria consumes 1.8 billion metric tons of oil per month, which means that with only 8 vessels carrying 5000 metric tons each per day, indigenous shipowners currently have sufficient capacity to carry Nigerian refined petroleum products if given the jobs.
It further said maritime stakeholders should henceforth be consulted and fully engaged in all policy-formulation and implementation in the sector.
ment to avoid failure.
Integration of all stakeholders’ interest groups to create a platform for a stronger advocacy in order to get policy makers and approving authorities to understand and implement  our positions, adding that anks through their Research and Development (R&D) departments should design products for financing development of Inland water Transport
(IWT) sufficient to cause a change and repositioning of IWT in the next five years.
It stated that he Volume of Cargoes expected into Nigeria in the next five years will be so high such that the present seaports cannot accommodate them; hence, the Lekki
Deep Seaport; the Badagry Deep Seaports and other proposed Deep Seaports should be completed in the next five year;  and that in the next 5 years, the Single Window initiative by the Nigerian Customs Service should be fully integrated and operational such that human contact in cargo clearance would be completely eliminated through automation of all cargo
clearance processes and procedures. And by so doing, corruption will be drastically reduced if not eradicated in Nigeria cargo clearance system.
“All major Seaports in Nigeria should be connected by Rail transport system in the next 5 years to ensure easy evacuation of goods from the ports by rail. This is particularly important because the expected volume of cargoes into Nigeria by 2020 cannot be evacuated only by road without experiencing unprecedented congestions,” the communique stated.

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Maritime

ANLCA BOSS LAUDS NATIONAL SINGLE WINDOW READINESS DURING LAGOS TRAINING 

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6 days ago

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March 2, 2026

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The National Vice President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Prince Olusegun Oduntan on Thursday paid an observational visit to the National Single Window End- User Training session held in Ikeja, Lagos.
The visit served as an assessment of the ongoing nationwide training program by the NSW committee, which is currently preparing stakeholders across Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt for the official launch scheduled for March 27,2026.
Prince Oduntan who participated during the live training also witnessed clearing agents and importers undergo hands-on session.
The Lagos hub, being the nation’s busiest maritime centre is a focal point for the NSW committee’s efforts to ensure that the March transition is seamless and free of operational hitches.
Speaking at the venue, Oduntan expressed satisfaction with the practical approach of the training.
He emphasized that the National Single Window would drastically reduced cargo clearance processing time and enhance transparency across the supply chain.
” Lagos is the heartbeat of Nigerian trade, and seeing our members here in Ikeja, mastering this system is encouraging. It will equip our members with the practical skills needed to navigate the digital platform. We are fully alligned with the March 27 launch date, ” he said.
The NSW committee has continued to urge all clearing agents and importers in the Lagos zone to participate in the remaining sessions of the training, which runs February 16 to March 13 to ensure no one is left behind in the digital shift.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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Maritime

FOU ZONE “A” SETS TO BOOST PUBLIC TRUST,TRAIN OFFICERS ON REPUTATION MANAGEMENT 

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6 days ago

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March 2, 2026

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The Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ Lagos, of the Nigeria Customs Service has held a reputation management workshop to strengthen professionalism, stakeholder relations and public confidence among its officers.
The Comptroller in charge of the Unit, Gambo Aliyu, spoke on Tuesday, 24 February 2026, stressing the importance of reputation in modern public service.
“Public trust stands as our most precious asset. Reputation is far more than a personal virtue; it forms the bedrock of our institution’s integrity, effectiveness and long-term success,” he said.
Aliyu noted that officers operate under intense public scrutiny and must demonstrate professionalism at all times.
“A single act of misconduct, poor stakeholder engagement or insensitive public communication could erode years of institutional goodwill, while consistent transparency and responsiveness would strengthen public confidence,” he said.
He highlighted recent improvements in the Service’s integrity ratings, citing recognition from Transparency International assessments.
According to him, sustaining this progress requires continuous training, ethical discipline and proactive stakeholder engagement.
The Comptroller assured that reputation management would remain central to capacity-building efforts and urged participants to internalise the lessons from the workshop and serve as ambassadors of trust within and outside the Service.
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Maritime

NSC COLLABORATES POLICE FOR STRONGER INTELLIGENCE SHARING 

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6 days ago

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March 2, 2026

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The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council ( NSC) Dr. Pius Akutah has again expressed concerns over the arrest of duly cleared containers by Port Police, stressing the need to strengthen collaboration through intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement strategies to avoid delays in cargo movement.
 Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Council by the Commissioner of Police, Port Authority Police (Western) Command, CP, Oluwatoyin Iyabode Agbaminoja, in Lagos on Thursday, Akutah emphasized that both the Council and the Police operate within the same port environment, making synergy essential for efficiency and national economic growth.
 Dr. Akutah called for improved intelligence sharing and stronger stakeholders engagement, noting that effective collaboration would help reduce cargo dwell time and eliminate unnecessary disruptions.
 He added that sustained collaboration would promote seamless cargo movement, enhance regulatory enforcement, and strengthen Nigeria’s port competitiveness.
 He urged both agencies to jointly review police alert mechanisms and work together to curb insecurity within the ports.
 Earlier speaking, the Police Commissioner, Agbaminoja, described the Council as a key institution in Nigeria’s maritime governance structure and reiterated the Command’s commitment to providing adequate security for port users and infrastructure.
 She assured the Council’s management of the Command’s readiness to enhance cooperation in tackling emerging security threats and operational challenges within the port system.
 According to her, the Command remains ready to support the Council in the discharge of its statutory responsibilities, particularly in dispute resolution, enforcement of lawful activities, port user protection and monitoring of cargo movement within the port corridor.
 Both institutions agreed that sustained collaboration would promote seamless cargo movement, enhance regulatory enforcement, and strengthen Nigeria’s port competitiveness.
[2/28, 11:43 AM] nmcdominic: SEME CUSTOMS EARNS N3.48BN IN FEBRUARY
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
28/02/2026
The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has generated over N3.48billion in revenue for February 2026, despite the month still being ongoing, signaling a sharp rise in trade activities along the Seme – Krake corridor.
Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Wale Adenuga, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting with cross-border traders and farmers held in Badagry recently.
The event was organised by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission, the ECOWAS Agricultural Trade Programme and GIZ.
Adenuga, who represented the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the revenue performance marks a significant increase compared to the N743.70million recorded in February 2025.
“For this February that has not yet  ended, we have already generated N3.48billion as against N743,698,652.16 revenue generated in February 2025. This clearly shows that the flow of trade is getting better and people are building greater confidence in the Seme–Krake corridor,” he stated.
The CAC attributed the surge largely to improved and seamless trade facilitation processes introduced at the Command, as well as enhanced collaboration among security agencies operating within the Lagos – Abidjan corridor.
He noted that the reduction in checkpoints along the Seme – Gbaji axis was the result of sustained inter-agency cooperation, clarifying that only Agbara and Gbaji remain officially approved Customs checkpoints along the route.
Adenuga also linked the decline in crime rates within the corridor to monthly joint border security meetings involving all relevant agencies at the border post.
According to him, the engagements have strengthened intelligence sharing and improved coordinated responses to security challenges, thereby creating a safer and more enabling environment for cross-border trade.
Beyond revenue generation and trade facilitation, the Command recorded notable enforcement successes in February.
These include the interception of a Toyota Highlander conveying 22 packages of cocaine valued at over N1 billion, based on credible intelligence.
In addition, operatives seized 1,000 bags of 50kg parboiled rice within the month, reinforcing efforts to curb smuggling and protect the nation’s economic borders.
Adenuga reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to working closely with traders, farmers, security agencies and regional partners to sustain trade growth and security along the Lagos–Abidjan corridor.
By: Nkpemenyie mcdominic, Lagos
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