Maritime

Customs Agents To Get Insurance Scheme

Published

15 years ago

August 5, 2010

Licensed Customs agents in the country will soon have a sigh of relief as the council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) has expressed its preparedness to provide an insurance scheme for them.

The Chairman, Governing Council of CRFFN, Mr. Anthony Iju Nwabunike, who dropped the hint when he led members of the council on a courtesy visit to the Minister of Transport, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman, said the life assurance policy for all licensed customs agents will enable them live a better life.

He said that the council will establish a data processing centre in all major seaports, cargo air ports and land borders, starting with Apapa Container Terminal (ACT) and Tin Can Island Port, Apapa Lagos.

According to Nwabunike, CRFFN will also form a Freight Forwarders Consultative Forum (FFCF) a co-operative society, and a micro finance bank to meet the needs of its members across the country. He explained that the FFCF will consist of the National president,general secretary and two other members of accredited associations, the chairman, vice chairman and three other members of the Governing Council of CRFFN, the Registrar, Deputy Registrar and Assistant (Operations) to represent the council in the forum.

He further said the vice chairman of the governing council of CRFFN shall be the chairman of the forum while a secretary shall be elected from among its fold. One the functions of the forum, he said it shall be saddled with the responsibility of resolving all matters affecting freight forwarding in Nigeria.

“It shall make recommendations on standardisation of freight forwarding practice, discipline, uniform charges, and any matter referred to it by CRFFN and other accredited associations. The recommendations of FFCF shall be forwarded to council for consideration. This will ensure that freight forwarders speak with one voice”, he said.

Nwabunike announced that as part of the sanitising processes embarked upon by the leadership of CRFFN, there shall be a formal induction of all registered freight forwarders and accredited associations in the country before the end of the year. Similarly, the first annual national freight forwarders conference shall take place later in the year.

He disclosed that an approval has been given to the registrar and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CRFFN, Mr. Mike Jukwe to convene the first meeting of CEOs of all regulatory agencies in the country to serve as a platform of comparing notes. He enjoined freight forwarders to brace up for the task ahead.

Maritime

Lagos Announces 15-day Closure Of Marine Bridge For Maintenance Repairs

Published

3 days ago

October 13, 2025

The Tide

The Lagos State Government has announced that the Marine Bridge in Ijora, Apapa Local Government Area, will be closed for 15 days to allow for essential maintenance works.

The State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi,

disclosed this in a Statement posted on his official X account.

Motorists are advised to plan ahead and be patient while the Federal Ministry of Works, in coordination with Lagos State, carries out essential bridge maintenance.

“The Lagos State Government wishes to inform the general public that the Marine Bridge in Ijora, Apapa Local Government Area, will be closed for 15 days to allow for essential maintenance works,” the statement read in part.

It added, “Motorists are advised to be patient, as the closure is part of the traffic management plan for maintenance works on the underlying bearings of some sections of the Marine Bridge by the Federal Ministry of Works (Office of the Federal Controller, Lagos).”

The statement further explained that the maintenance project will be carried out in two phases. Phase I, running from Saturday, 11th October to Saturday, 18th October 2025, will cover the area from the foot of Marine Bridge along Lawani Oguntayo Road near UBA, inbound toward Apapa and Costain.

During this period, motorists traveling from Ijora Olopa to Apapa will be diverted via the Ijora Causeway Access Ramp near Omni Retail Company, continue to Ijora 7up, turn left onto the Lilypond Access Ramp, and proceed on their journeys.

Phase II, from Sunday, 19th October to Saturday, 25th October 2025, will focus on the stretch between Ijora Badia and Lilypond Access Ramp, inbound toward Apapa.

Motorists from Ijora Olopa heading to Apapa and Costain would be diverted about 50 meters before the work zone into a contraflow with Constant traffic, rejoining the main carriageway after 500 meters.

Those traveling from Apapa toward Costain, Lagos Island, or Ijora Olopa would maintain through traffic but will also be redirected into a contraflow near the work zone for roughly 500 meters before resuming normal access.

Maritime

NRC Generates ?1.95bn Revenue In Q1 2025, Records 37% Growth – Says NBS

Published

3 days ago

October 13, 2025

The Tide

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has generated ?1.95 billion in passenger revenue in the first quarter (Q1) of 2025

The Bureau said the amount represent a 37.36 percent increase from the ?1.42 billion recorded in the same period of 2024.

The data, released in the NBS Rail Transportation Report on October 5, showed steady growth in rail patronage across the country. Between January and March 2025,

NBS said that a total of 929,553 passengers travelled by train, marking a 37.65 percent rise compared to 675,293 passengers transported in Q1 2024.

Similarly, the volume of goods and cargo conveyed by rail climbed to 181,520 tons in Q1 2025, up from 160,650 tons in the corresponding period of 2024.

The Bureau said Revenue from freight operations also increased by 8.19 percent to ?657.03 million, compared to ?607.32 million in the same quarter of the previous year.

The report further revealed a sharp rise in other receipts — which include income from services such as leasing, station fees, and sundry charges — amounting to ?115.68 million, a 355.39 percent jump from ?25.40 million in Q1 2024.

For comparison, the NBS noted that in Q4 2024, the rail system transported 1,037,113 passengers, reflecting a 54.29 percent increase from 672,198 in Q4 2023.

The report said that Passenger revenue during that quarter stood at ?1.92 billion, up from ?1.07 billion in Q4 2023.

However, freight revenue in Q4 2024 declined slightly by 7.46 percent, from ?423.22 million in Q4 2023 to ?391.64 million, while ?8.93 million was realized from transporting 1,260 tons of goods through pipelines in the same period.

Meanwhile, other receipts for Q4 2024 rose to ?434.44 million, representing a 10.34 percent increase from ?393.72 million recorded in Q4 2023.

According to the NBS, the consistent rise in passenger traffic and earnings reflects growing public confidence in Nigeria’s rail transport system, driven by continuous investments in rail infrastructure and service expansion by the NRC.

By: Chinedu Wosu

Maritime

NSC Says Credible And Enforceable Laws Are Backbone Of Port Regulation

Published

3 days ago

October 13, 2025

The Tide

The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer CEO, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Akutah Pius has said that credible and enforceable laws are crucial for effective port regulation in Nigeria.

Pius stated this in his Paper Presentation at the 2025 League of Maritime Editors’ summit held in Lagos.

Represented at the summit by its Director, Regulatory Services Department Mrs, Margaret Ogbonna, Pius highlighted the importance of aligning competitive laws with institutional capacity to drive benefits like competition, investment, and predictability.

He stressed the need to pass the Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill (NPERA) into law to enhance transparency, competition, and dispute resolution in the maritime sector.

The Shippers boss who noted that strong laws are essential stated however that their effectiveness depends on proper implementation and stakeholder buy-in.

“Without effective implementation, laws can’t serve their purpose. Regulation requires full stakeholder buy-in.”, he said.

Highlight of the event was the presentation of the Maritime Chief Executive Officer CEO Year award for his outstanding contributions to the maritime industry and economic growth by the 2025 League of Maritime Editors Summit.

By: Chinedu Wosu