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There Is No Piracy In Nigeria, But Armed Robbery -Bello

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7 years ago

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The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council, Barrister Hassan Bello, says there is no piracy in Nigeria, but what we have are incidences of armed robbery.
Bello said the armed robbery incidences and not piracy has been confirmed by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB)
The Secretary in a statement made available to The Tide queried the rational behind foreign shipping lines slamming ‘war risk surcharges’ on Nigerian bound cargoes,
He said the slamming war risk are deliberate extortion of Nigerian importers and creating a wrong impression about Nigeria’s maritime sector.
Bello assured that the Council is taking up a fight against international carriers to correct the negative impressions and to ensure that Nigeria-bound cargoes are not over charged.
“There is no piracy in Nigeria, what we have are incidences of armed robbery, do you know the difference? So there is no piracy in Nigeria, the releases from the International Maritime Bureau have said that we have less incidences of piracy, but go and check the surcharges, it could be the same” he said.
“The surcharges are supposed to be temporary, to address temporary issues like the fuel adjustment factor which comes in if there is increase in fuel price, however, if the fuel price drops, the surcharge still remains”
.”We are going to the bottom of it; this is a fight we have to fight so that Nigeria-bound cargoes are not over charged” Bello said.
“If we have got our infrastructure, the deep-sea ports, the price right, then, all the cargoes will come to Nigeria from where we would distribute to other small countries around us”
“Nigeria is the centre of the world, 200 million people, 975,000 square kilometers ,
”We have so many rivers, creeks, brooks, water transportation is everywhere, we have roads being fixed everywhere, Jebba-Ilorin road is being done, and then the rail”
“The moment we have the Ibadan-Kano rail line, Port Harcourt – Maiduguri line, then it means Nigeria has taken-off” he said
Bello explained the rational behind the delay in the take off of the Truck Transit Parks (TTP) a pet project of the Council in ensuring that transportation of cargoes are carried out seamlessly across Nigeria.
He stated that the council is working with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) on the TTP project, saying that the project is now going to advertisement and procurement.
He said in Enugu State, we had some environmental issues, there were pipelines at the site, so we have heard a meeting with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) the NNPC, and Ministry of Works over the right of way, the meeting was held in Ibadan two weeks ago and all the issues were trashed. So, we are going to the market to advertise the park in Enugu.”
“Then, in Lokoja, we discovered that the government has not paid compensation to the local people even though we cleared the place, “we are working with the state government on this, it is either we go ahead and tell the concessionaire that there is a contingent liability or we have the state government to pay it” he said

 

Chinedu Wosu

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Maritime

Weak Shipping Line Regulation Undermines Customs Reforms —-Says SEREC

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2 weeks ago

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January 28, 2026

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The Sea Empowerment and Research Centre (SEREC) says poor regulation of shipping lines could undermine the credibility of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) reforms.
Head of Research SEREC, Dr Eugene Nweke  made this Known to Newsmen in Abuja
Nweke said that customs efficiency was linked to the performance of the Nigeria’s maritime and trade ecosystem.
Hr described the NCS as central to the success of the National Single Window (NSW) risk-based clearance and trade facilitation reforms.
“However, Customs efficiency gains are systematically eroded when upstream shipping practices introduce artificial delays, speculative charges, remote cargo release approvals and opaque cost structures”.
“In effect, weak regulation of shipping line conduct externalises inefficiencies into the Customs clearance process, inflates transaction costs, distorts compliance behavior and undermines the credibility of customs-led trade reforms,”
Nweke said that SEREC had submitted a white paper to the government advocating that shipping line governance, port economic regulation, and customs trade administration should be treated as inseparable policy domains.
SEREC said Nigeria’s Port challenges were not only infrastructure-driven but governance-related, warning that weak regulation, missing oversight reports and unchecked discretion in systems like the NSW could undermine reform efforts.
SEREC recommended reforms for Nigeria’s shipping sector, including public release of committee findings, statutory refund timelines with penalties, banning speculative demurrage billing, mandatory local cargo release and alignment of shipping practices with the NSW among others.
Nweke said that the aim of the white paper was to draw attention to sharp practices and regulatory weaknesses that had evolved beyond operational inconveniences into macroeconomic and governance risks.
“For NCS trade reforms to deliver their full impact in 2026 and beyond, shipping practices must align with the same principles guiding Customs modernisation: transparency, predictability, automation, accountability and local control.
Nweke said that by 2026, stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime industry hope to transition from opaque and arbitrary port operations to a transparent, rules-based system managed through digital technology.
He stressed that the shift should align with ongoing reforms and international best practices, facilitated by the government through providing enabling environment and enforcing regulations
“These include predictable costs, enforceable service standards, transparent billing, time-bound cargo release, and institutional accountability particularly as Nigeria advances the National Single Window (NSW), port economic regulation, and revenue optimisation objectives.
“The expectation is not the creation of new laws, but disciplined enforcement of existing instruments, public disclosure of regulatory outcomes, and insulation of regulators from political and commercial capture,” Nweke said.
By: CHINEDU WOSU
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Tinubu Approve Take Off Of Olokola Deep Seaport In Ogun State

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2 weeks ago

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January 28, 2026

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Nigeria President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate take-off of the Olokola Deep Seaport project in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area
The approval brings  to an end years of delay surrounding the multi billion dollar Port.
Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun made this Known to Journalists during an interactive session
 Governor Abiodun said the Seaport would help decongest Lagos ports, while oil drilling at Tongeji Island would boost economic activities and inclusion in coastal communities.
“The Olokola deep seaport project, which has been on the drawing board for several years, has been revived following a series of meetings with the President”.
“I want to sincerely thank Mr President because this is solely his initiative. In the last two weeks alone, we have held several meetings on Olokola, and he has clearly expressed his desire to see the port become a reality,” he said.
The Governor said the seaport would be known as the Blue Marine Economic Zone, would leverage the coastal road as an alternative logistics corridor and further ease pressure on the Lagos ports.
He commended the Nigerian Navy for establishing a Forward Operations Base at Tongeji Island, saying the move would enhance security and prevent infiltration from neighbouring Benin Republic.
The Governor said that the state government was working to provide basic amenities for residents of the island to improve living conditions and support emerging economic activities.
Abiodun thanked the Navy for its contribution to security in the state, attributing the relative peace in Ogun to collaboration among security agencies.
By: CHINEDU WOSU
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Gov Eno Vows To Actualise Ibom Deep Seaport Project 

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2 weeks ago

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January 28, 2026

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 Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno says his administration is  commitment to deliver the Ibom Deep Seaport project as a critical infrastructure to boost the state’s economy and transform the region.
The Governor said this during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state government and the Interaf Group Consortium at the Government House, Uyo.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Enobong Uwah, Eno emphasized on the project’s significance.
“The project is a necessity for the people of the state as my administration is fully committed to putting the necessary requirements in place to get it on course,” Eno said.
The Governor urged the consortium to work closely with the Akwa Ibom Investment Corporation, AKICORP, and the government’s representatives to ensure its timely execution.
He commended the organisation for its interest in ensuring the actualisation of the project
The Governor thanked the former Petroleum Minister, Mr Don Etiebet, for being a part of the team, and for working toward the actualisation of the facility.
Earlier,Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Interaf Group Consortium, Mr Ezinwa Ibekwe commended the government for the confidence reposed in the company.
Ibekwe assured the government of the consortium’s readiness to deliver on its mandate, promising a collaborative approach to ensure the project’s success.
By: CHINEDU WOSU
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