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NAICOM Seeks Lifeline For Education Sector

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The Deputy Commis
sioner (Technical), National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Malam Ibrahim Hassan, has called for the provision of emergency aid to salvage the country’s education sector.
Hassan made the call at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for a grant to the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) and Imo State University in Abuja.
The NAICOM grant covers ICT infrastructure, textbooks, scholarship for Masters, PhD and Doctorate degree programmes
He said that most tertiary institutions in the country were in serious need of assistance to help provide adequate infrastructure.
The commissioner observed that government-owned tertiary institutions were a far cry from what there used to be when they were created and calling on stakeholders to restore their former glory.
“What is happening in the education system today is very pitiable and a thing of regret. I only hope those of you in the academic would put your heads together and be able to add one day to find a lasting solution to the problem.’’
He advised that the private sector be made to invest more in the education sector.
“Even if they cannot provide scholarships, they can provide endowment that will go a long way in building the pitiable infrastructure we see in our universities today.
“These are things we must do to save the lives and future of our upcoming generation,’’ he said.
The Commissioner for Insurance, Mr Fola Daniel, said the intervention was part of the commission’s commitment to promoting insurance competence.
“There has always been a section in the insurance act that states that a portion of our income should be devoted to capacity building.
“And that capacity building has been mainly to chartered the Institute of Insurance and West African Insurance College in Liberia.
“But personally, I think we should be doing more to help the local institutes or universities in the country because I believe that if we are not reaching out to institutions within our communities, then we are not fulfilling our mandates.
“So we think we can use the university community as a means to develop insurance manpower and also to entrench insurance culture,’’ he said.
Responding, the Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, thanked the commission for providing the grant to the institution to strengthen its insurance department.
He said the key areas covered by the MoU were fundamental in the growth of the education sector.
“I must congratulate the commission for this foresight because the advanced degrees are the basic ingredients for national development,’’ he said.
The Vice-Chancellor, Imo State University, Prof. Aloysius Awuzie, who was represented by Prof. Ginikanwa Agulana, promised to ensure judicious use of the grant.
“I pledged that we will stick to the agreement in the MoU to help build the manpower and professionals that will further promote the growth of the insurance sector,’’ he said.

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NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

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The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the management will continue to accompany its port infrastructure  and equipment  modernization drive  with the development of the welfare of its personnel.
Dantsoho made the disclosure recently while responding to the commendation by the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) and the senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASGOC) on the  clearing  of the age-long problem of employee stagnation, when the union paid him a courtesy visit at the Authority’s headquarters in Lagos.
A Statement by NPA’s General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, quoted Dantsoho as saying,  “our Port infrastructure and equipment modernization drive will go hand-in-hand with continuous staff welfare improvement”.
The NPA MD disclosed that human capital development constitutes the key strategy for creating and sustaining superior performance under his watch, adding that “talent development constitutes a critical success factor for the actualization of the big hairy audacious goals we have set for ourselves especially in the area of Port competitiveness.
“The only way we can meet and indeed exceed stakeholders’ expectations is to deepen the competencies of our human resources assets and boosting their morale.”
Speaking further, Dantsoho commended the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for approving the strategic proposal of the Dantsoho-led Management team that solved the over a decade-long problem of lack of promotion that had fuelled industrial disharmony.
“I must specially appreciate our amiable Minister for graciously approving the multi-pronged stratagem we deployed that cleared all outstanding cases of employee stagnation by conducting examinations in one fell swoop and instituted timelines to forestall a recurrence of such anomaly”, he sad.
Speaking on behalf of the joint maritime labour unions, the President  of Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations & Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Comrade Bodunde stated, “In addition to clearance of the backlog of stagnated promotions, we also wish to express our appreciation for the increase in productivity bonuses, provision of end-of-year welfare packages for staff, and the revision of the Financial Guide to the Condition of Service, which now addresses our members’ concerns about inflationary pressures.”
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

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National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Elder Olumide Fakanlu, has been elected Vice President of the Federation of ECOWAS Licensed Customs Brokers Association (FELCBA).
The election took place during the FELCBA Congress, held from Tuesday, June 17th to Thursday, June 19th, 2025, in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Fakanlu’s emergence as Vice President marks a significant achievement for Nigeria within the regional customs brokerage community.
Apart from Fakanlu, Secretary of the Seme Chapter of ANLCA, Austin Nwosu, was also elected, securing the role of Secretary of Relations with Institutions.
The Nigerian delegation played an active role in the congress, with Michael Ebeatu nominated as a member of the electoral officer team, ensuring a fair and transparent election process.
The three-day congress concluded with delegates undertaking a visit to the Sierra Leone Port, offering insights into the host nation’s maritime operations, followed by a recreational trip to the Tokeh Beach.
The newly elected executives are expected to lead FELCBA in its efforts to harmonize customs brokerage practices, promote trade facilitation, and advocate for the interests of licensed customs brokers across the ECOWAS sub-region.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement 

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In a bid to enhance more enforcement in the nation’s Port, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to stronger inter-agency collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The Council said the collaboration is aimed at enhancing stronger enforcement, compliance and improve operational efficiency across Nigeria’s ports.
Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of  NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, made this known during a visit to the  Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The visit, which he said, focused on strengthening institutional synergy, comes in the wake of growing responsibilities for the NSC under the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Akutah emphasized the critical role of security agencies in supporting port operations and ensuring regulatory compliance.
He called for the posting of police officers to assist the Council’s monitoring and enforcement teams at key port locations including Lagos, Warri, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.
“The posting will complement the activities of our revived task teams and enhance our ability to enforce standards across the maritime logistics chain”, he said.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Egbetokun, assured the Council of the Force’s readiness to continue supporting the growth of the maritime sector.
The IGP acknowledged that compliance enforcement is essential to the successful implementation of Nigeria’s Blue Economy objectives.
“The NSC and NPF are expected to deepen collaboration in the months ahead, with a shared focus on building a secure, efficient, and competitive port environment”, to the IGP emphasized.
Chinedu Wosu
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