Maritime
Lekki Deep Seaport To Generate 169,972 Jobs – FG … Yields $201bn In 45 yrs
Federal Government of Nigeria says the Lekki Deep Seaport when fully operational would create over 169,972 jobs for youths.
It will also generate a total revenue of $201 billion in 45 years.
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, stated this in Lagos when he took a tour of the $1.53 billion mega project at the weekend.
The Minister, who was accompanied by heads of parastatals under the Ministry of Transportation, expressed joy at the quality of work done.
He assured Port users and investors that the port would become operational in the last quarter of 2022.
“When fully operational, the deep seaport will create 169,972 jobs in addition to the $201 billion that will be generated to Lagos State and the Federal Government through taxes, royalties and duties.
“The direct and induced business revenue impact is estimated at $158 billion in addition to a qualitative impact on the manufacturing, trade and commercial services sector”, He said
Describing the project as a game-changer, the Minister added that the Port has gulped $800 million on construction alone, stressing that the aggregate impact has been put at $361 billion in 45 years, which will be over 200 times the cost of building it.
“When it begins operation in the last quarter of this year, it will make it possible for Nigeria to regain the maritime business that was lost to ports in Togo, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana.
.”It is also a big boost to Nigeria in its quest to take advantage of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
“A major advantage we have to leverage on is transhipment. With this port, Nigeria will become a transhipment hub and the revenue we are currently losing to our neighbouring countries will come here,” he said.
Phase one of the project, according to the Minister, has reached 89 percent completion, assuring that it will hit the 100 percent mark in September.
“The project is self-sufficient in required electricity. It is now ready to generate up to 10 megawatts and the total capacity is 16 megawatts,” he said.
He appealed to media to report positive developments in Nigeria rather than negativities that portray the country in a bad light.
“I want to appeal to our colleagues in the media to play up these developmental efforts instead of concentrating energy on negativity.
“Let the world know that Nigeria is not all about kidnapping, terrorism and banditry. It is also about massive developments that are unprecedented,” he added.
Stories by Chinedu Wosu
Maritime
Marine Police AIG Tasks Members On Prudence, Neatness, Punctuality

The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Maritime Command, AIG Yusuf Garba, has charged the officers and men of the command to wake up from their slumber and embrace the IGP’s directive on zero tolerance for corruption.
AIG Garba emphasised that the feat could be achieved through collaboration with sister agencies and members of the public.
A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, ASP Okoi Arikpo, stated that the police boss also charged the officers on the importance of being prudent and proactive in the line of duty.
He also charged officers and men to be neat while on duty, reminding them of the need to always be punctual on duty as absenteeism from duty resulting in any lapses will not be taken lightly.
“He reminded the officers of the resuming, 30 minutes before the actual time of resumption as it is in the Police Act and regulations.
Recall that the AIG, who recently took charge of the command, has always harped on the integrity of the force.
Maritime
Aramalagu Keeps Tempo At Seme Border Command Nets N743.7m In One Month

Customs Area Controller of Seme Border Command, Dr. Ben Aramalagu, has demonstrated his resolve to keep the pace at the foremost Nigeria’s border, raking in a total of N743.728 million as revenue in February 2025 alone.
Within the three weeks of resumption, Dr. Aramalagu made seizures worth N267.054 million (duty paid value), a feat that shows the command’s resolve to continue to deliver even under a new leadership.
The seizures comprise 444 parcels of cannabis sativa, 181 packs of tramadol, 600 bottles of codeine syrup (100ml), 240 kegs of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS).
Others are 1,809 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50kg each), 17 sacks of used shoes, 56 bales of used clothes, and 203 pieces of used tyres that were attempted to be brought into Nigeria through unapproved routes.
Speaking to newsmen while displaying the seizures, Aramalugu said the command’s emphasis will be on unapproved routes where smugglers attempt to bring in what he described as un-customs goods either to evade duty payment or illegally import things on the Federal Government’s import prohibited list.
Aramalagu said the customs under its current Comptroller General, Adewale Bashir Adeniyi, will not relent in meeting the Federal Government’s demand for more revenue in the non-oil sector, including customs duty collection.
He emphasised that the command will not relent in enforcing maximum collection of all revenue due to the Federal Government through duty collection and seizing contraband goods in line with relevant law establishing the customs and its functions.
In his words, “these seizures, which contravene relevant section of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2003 (NCSA 22) reaffirm our commitment to suppressing smuggling within the Seme Border”.
Maritime
NAFDAC Uncovers $1.4m Fraud Syndicate

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered a $1.4 million fraudul syndicate, led by Mr. Ikoro Mang Ifendu, who impersonated the agency’s officials to scam foreign companies, using fake regulatory documents.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, while addressing newsmen on Friday, disclosed that Ifendu, 52, from Abia State, was arrested on February 7, 2025, at Ogborn Hills, Aba area of the state, in a case of alleged fraud and obtaining huge funds by false pretence from unsuspecting foreigners across various countries, while posing as a staff of the agency.
She said, “He is a native of Amamba Village, Abiriba in Ohafia LGA, Abia State.
“His level of education is SSCE and deals in clothing materials. The suspect is in our custody and is cooperating with the investigation.
“This case was reported by Thani Almaeeni Trading Group, Abu Dhabi, UAE following their application to register Dry Fish (Seafood).
“Thani Almaeeni Trading Group, Abu Dhabi, UAE, and other companies from various countries fell victim to this fraud.
In a petition from Thani Almaeeni Trading Group, reported to NAFDAC of the possible impersonation of the fraudsters as NAFDAC’s officials, using the NAFDAC’s letterhead and name.
“The fraudsters, headed by Mr. Ikoro Mang Ifendu, have duped the company thousands of dollars and millions of naira.
“These fraudsters or syndicate operate in a three-pronged scheme involving the Buyer, Bank, and Lawyer.
“Initially, the buyer contacts foreign companies to purchase and import goods into Nigeria. Subsequently, they introduce these companies to any of these banks for payment.
“The bank then declares that due to the lack of NAFDAC approval, the foreign companies are unable to export to Nigeria. Afterward, a legal counsel is introduced to the companies, claiming that they can obtain NAFDAC Certificate through this lawyer.
“The lawyer then receives payments in stages and issues fraudulent receipts and counterfeit of NAFDAC certificates to the companies.”
Mrs. Adeyeye said the agency’s investigation revealed that the group operates 15 domiciliary and 5 local accounts in 7 Nigerian banks.
She noted that the account in one of the banks has a Bank Verification Number (BVN) that is being used by the 2 key members of the group, Ikoro Mang Ifendu and Rosemary Obosi.
“The exact number of the Accounts have not been established, because the suspect had deleted some of the Accounts and the alert messages.
“The tentative cumulative inflow from different victims into the Domiciliary Accounts in Nigeria is estimated to be over $950,000USD, while the sum of $450,000USD is the estimated inflow into the accounts held offshore in Cotonou, Benin Republic.
srl, for registration of products with NAFDAC; Tianyan Filter Cloth Co. Ltd, Gonghexin Road, Jingan District, Shanghai, China; Siam Canadian China Ltd., Frozen Onion Spices, Zhanjiang Guangdong, China.”
The DG continued: “After exhausting the link to falsification of NAFDAC regulated products, this case will be transferred to EFCC for further investigation.
“This is to expand the investigation to other areas that are not within the mandate of NAFDAC. The investigation will also invoke POCA on all the assets illegally acquired in the course of the fraudulent activities.”
Adeyeye disclosed that the regulatory body has strengthened the activities of Investigation and Enforcement and Federal Task Force by reconstituting and changing the architecture and increasing the number of Investigating Police Officers of the Police Squad and Mobile Police attached to the Agency.
“The Honourable Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare will soon inaugurate the reconstituted Federal Task Force and by extension the State Task Forces to compliment the activities of the Agency in the States,” she stated.
The NAFDAC boss urged the public not to transact business with any company that parades itself as a consulting firm for registration of products.\
By: Stories by Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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