Maritime

Tinubu, Others To Honour Global Transport Roundtable

Published

2 years ago

April 22, 2024

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, amongst other prominent stakeholders in the Transport sector are set to grace Global Transport Policy Annual Roundtable and bilingual magazine public launch slated for this Wednesday.
They will assemble with other five ministers, including intellectuals , maritime and aviation Giants to brainstorm on a workable solution for the industry.
The Chairman/Chief consultant, Global Transport Policy, Dr. Oluwasegun Musa, disclosed this in Lagos while giving an update on the company’s preparedness for the event at Marriot Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
Musa told reporters that the trends and developments in recent times have shown the need for urgent conversation to foster economic growth in the Nigerian transport industry.
Addressing journalists, he said the theme, “Transport Infrastructure and Strategic Policy Intervention: Building Blocks For Economic Growth”, captures the desires of stakeholders in the industry.
“It is a call to action across the spectrum of industry players, including the government, industry technocrats, relevant unions, royal fathers, the academia, diplomats, the press, and every other player critical to the advancement of the industry through dialogue and essential conversation to drive the industry forward.
“As you already know, trends and developments in recent times have shown the need for this urgent conversation to foster economic growth in the transport industry.
“With panel sessions of esteemed stakeholders and critical dialogues around topical issues that spotlight grey areas for strategic inputs for policy interventions, GTP Annual Roundtable is keen on unveiling the critical components of the transport industry as prime enablers for rapid growth.
“Our call has been well received. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is expected to attend. The Lagos State Governor will serve as the Chief Host of the event”.
According to him, keynote addresses will be delivered by, including the Ministers of Transport, Aviation & Aerospace Development; Marine & Blue Economy; Industry, Trade & Investment; and Foreign Affairs.
“The Keynote presentation will be delivered by Dr. Alban Igwe, a seasoned global transport specialist who will be shaping the conversation around the theme for holistic engagement.
“The first Panel session will have critical agencies of government such as Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) engage in a roundtable discourse, titled, “Transport And Regional Integration: Assessing the Potential of Transport Infrastructure Development for National Integratio.
“International diplomats from embassies of France, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States will be delivering justice to the second panel session titled, “Intermodal Transport in the 21st Century: Trends, Development, and Policies in Developed Nations”.
Musa continued that “the discourse would also be tackling possibilities for states to engender comprehensive transport growth for economic impact through strategic collaborations to reinforce national advancement.
“It would also serve as the official launch of Global Transport Policy Magazine. It is a bilingual magazine produced quarterly with authoritative trend spotting and compelling cross-cutting analysis”.
Global Transport Policy is aimed at helping local and international governments shape workable policies and perspectives for better outcomes.
This compendium catalogs global trends, events, innovations, challenges, and solutions for holistic analysis and stakeholder engagement with broad industry insight and cutting-edge research.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Maritime

MWUN REAFFIRMS NON-PARTISAN STANCE AHEAD OF 2027 ELECTION

Published

18 hours ago

March 16, 2026

The Tide

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

Maritime

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

Published

18 hours ago

March 16, 2026

The Tide

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

Maritime

NPA LICENSE APPROVAL DELAYS IS WORRISOME—ANLCA SCRIBE

Published

18 hours ago

March 16, 2026

The Tide

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