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Minister Charges NRC On Functional Port Community System

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3 years ago

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Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, has called for the unbundling of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in line with the vision and objectives of Government’s current reforms in the transportation sector.
Sambo said as it is presently constituted, the NRC cannot operate optimally, hence necessary reforms and unbundling have become imperative.
The Minister, who was addressing the management team of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), led on a visit to his office by the CEO, Dr. Armstrong Katang, charged MOFI to drive the unbundling of the NRC to make it more economically viable while offering world class services to Nigerians.
“One of the things I will like to see as the Minister of Transportation, through MOFI is the unbundling of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC). There is a Committee set up to unbundle NRC and I will urge you to work with the existing Committee”, he said.
The MOFI was incorporated under the provisions of Sections 2 and 3 of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) Act of 1959 as an asset holding company under the Federal Ministry of Finance.
MOFI is the sole manager of all Federal Government investment interests, estates, easement and rights.
The Minister made reference to the reforms implemented in the ports and the benefits these have brought, noting that such should be carried out in railway sector.
“The NRC, the way it is currently, is the way the ports were prior to concession, prior to the reforms of 2005. Today, even the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) workers are happier about how NPA is today compared to how it was prior to the reforms. This means the reformed NPA is generating more revenues to support its operations and also support its workforce and its pensioners”, he said.
The Minister, who assuaged the fear of job loss as a result of the unbundling, said, “I don’t want the NRC staff to see the unbundling of the NRC as a threat to their jobs. If we have a better performing NRC, then we are going to have better salaries for its workers, better working conditions for its workers, more revenue for the FG and therefore the ability to even build more rail networks”.
Sambo noted that the issue of encroachment on railway property will soon be a thing of the past as “MOFI was berthed for a specific reason and that reason is for the Federal Government to take control of its assets and create optimum value for these assets”.
In his contribution, the Minister of State for Transportation, Prince Ademola Adegoroye, extolled the capabilities of the Managing Director, MOFI, Dr. Armstrong, saying he has full confidence that the MOFI team will deliver on the job.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, noted that the MOFI team being made up of young and intelligent people has satisfied the yearning of Nigerians to have young people in positions of responsibility.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

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Maritime

MWUN REAFFIRMS NON-PARTISAN STANCE AHEAD OF 2027 ELECTION 

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5 days ago

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March 16, 2026

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The Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has reaffirmed strong positions towards maintaining non partisan stance ahead of the 2027 general elections .
The President General of MWUN, Comrade Francis Bunu disclosed this while welcoming executives from the Transporters for Tinubu 2027 Political Support Group at its headquarters on 119 Osho Drive, Olodi-Apapa, Lagos,
The union boss underscored MWUN role as a neutral player in national development.
According to a statement signed by Comrade John Kennedy Ikemefuna, Head of Media for MWUN, the union’s President-General, hosted the visitors who outlined their initiative.
Comrade Bunu expressed gratitude for the recognition, affirming the union’s support for any efforts promoting progress, unity, and development in Nigeria.
He emphasized, however, that MWUN remains strictly non-partisan, committed solely to good governance and strategic initiatives that elevate the nation regardless of political affiliation.
This engagement highlights MWUN’s frontline position in labor and transport while reinforcing its impartial dedication to the country’s advancement.
The group aims to foster collaboration among government, transport operators, private entities, and grassroots stakeholders to boost national mobility, economic growth, and sectoral reforms.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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Maritime

ASU BEKS APPEALS TO GOVT FOR TANTITA TO MANAGE NIMASA’S ABANDONED N50BN FLOATING DOCKYARD 

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5 days ago

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March 16, 2026

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The Chief Executive Officer of Maritime Media Limited and Convener of the Maritime Industry Merit Awards (MIMA), Elder Asu Beks, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to concession the abandoned floating dockyard owned by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), describing the asset as a “national embarrassment” after more than a decade of neglect.
Speaking during a live interview on Arise TV on Tuesday, Asu Beks said the floating dock, valued at about N50 billion, was originally planned to be deployed at Okerenkoko in Delta State to support training activities at the Nigerian Maritime University.
 According to him, the asset has remained largely unused since its acquisition in 2016, moving between different facilities including the Naval Dockyard Limited, Continental Shipyard Limited and most recently Snake Island in Lagos without being fully operational.
Beks said the prolonged inactivity of the dockyard represents a huge financial loss to the country, especially as government continues to incur costs in maintaining the facility.
 “Why should Nigeria allow an asset worth about N50 billion to waste away for over 10 years?” he asked.
 He urged the Federal Government to urgently concession the facility to a credible Nigerian private company capable of restoring it to full operational capacity.
 Beks specifically suggested Tantita Security Services Limited as a possible operator, citing the company’s track record in oil pipeline and maritime security operations in the Niger Delta.
“With the operational network and technical capacity of companies like Tantita, this abandoned asset can be transformed into a profitable national facility,” he said.
 The maritime stakeholder also criticised past leadership in the sector for failing to address the situation, particularly during the tenure of former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who served for eight years.
 According to Beks, the continued neglect of the floating dockyard raises serious questions about asset management in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
 He also questioned why successive leadership of NIMASA  including former Director-Generals Dakuku Peterside and Bashir Jamoh did not resolve the issue during their time in office.
 Beks urged the current Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, to take decisive action and change the narrative by ensuring the asset becomes productive.
He argued that reviving the dockyard would provide significant economic value to the country, particularly by strengthening ship repair capacity and supporting maritime training.
 Beks further noted that issues such as the operationalisation of the floating dockyard and economic regulation in the shipping sector remain far more critical to the industry than symbolic achievements.
 He stressed that Nigeria must prioritise the effective utilisation of strategic maritime assets to drive economic growth and reduce dependence on foreigners
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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Maritime

NPA LICENSE APPROVAL DELAYS IS WORRISOME—ANLCA SCRIBE

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5 days ago

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March 16, 2026

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Clearing agents operating at the nation’s ports have criticized the Nigerian Ports Authority ( NPA) over it’s silence regarding unprocessed operational licenses.
The agents warned that the situation could disrupt cargo clearance activities across the ports if urgent action is not taken.
Speaking during a media briefing, the National Public Relations Officer of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Mr. Emmanuel Onyeme called out spokesperson of the NPA, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, over alleged failure to respond to calls and messages from stakeholders.
Onyeme said dozens of freight agents who submitted applications for the NPA’s Clearing & Forwarding License operational clearance for PortPASS- an authority to do business with shipping companies have not received any response for more than two weeks
According to Onyeme, the approval from the NPA is a crucial requirement that allows freight agents to gain access to the ports and transact business with shipping companies and terminal operators after securing their licences from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
“Without the Clearing & Forwarding License issued by the NPA, freight agents can not access the ports or engage shipping companies and terminal operators for cargo releases . It is a critical operational requirement,” Onyeme said.
He disclosed that the approval process, which was previously handled at NPA offices within the seaports, has recently been centralised at the authority’s headquarters, forcing agents to submit their documents directly to the office of the Managing Director.
However, Onyeme noted that many of the applications have remained unattended to it.
“As we speak, several freight agents have submitted their documents to the Managing Director’s office, and these applications have been lying there for more than two weeks without any form of response,” he said.
He warned that the silence from the authority is already creating anxiety within the freight forwarding community, especially as many shipping companies and terminal operators have indicated that from April 1, 2026, previously issued NPA Licence approvals will no longer be recognised.
Onyeme further expressed frustration over the lack of communication from the NPA’s spokesman, alleging that repeated attempts by stakeholders to reach him have been unsuccessful.
“The situation is worrisome because there is absolutely no feedback. Calls and text messages sent to the NPA spokesperson have not been responded to, leaving Custom Brokers and freight forwarders agents in the dark over the fate of their applications,” he said.
According to him, the delay could prevent many licensed customs agents from accessing the ports or engaging shipping companies, thereby affecting cargo clearance and port-related businesses.
He therefore called on the management of the NPA to urgently intervene and ensure that the pending approvals are processed without further delay.
“Even if the Managing Director is out of the country or unavailable, there should be a system that allows someone else to handle such important operational matters promptly,” Onyeme added.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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