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ANLCA crisis is fueled by desire for vengeance—Ozo Chukwura

Prince Ozo Chukwura is a Chieftain of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents(ANLCA).

As one -time Chapter Chairman of the association in Tin Can Port, the Zonal Coordinator in the Western Zone, and presently a member of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding Practices in Nigeria(CRFFN) as well as a member of the new Board of Trustees(BOT) of ANLCA, Prince Chukwura is one of the most experienced and respected voices in the association.

Generally regarded as a man of peace, Chukwura was uncomfortable with the protracted crisis in ANLCA which is threatening to bring down the oldest freight forwarding group in Nigeria.

Little wonder he decided to undertake the onerous and thankless task of reconciling the warring factions of the association which have been at each other’s throat in their quest to get the soul of ANLCA. 

In this revealing interview with FUNSO OLOJO, the freight forwarding icon shares his thoughts on how he intends to bring the two warring groups to the reconciliatory table to achieve the much elusive peace.

 

Q. Prince Ozo Chukwura, as one of the elders of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents(ANLCA), what is your reaction to the protracted crisis that has almost brought ANLCA down to its knees?

A. I have been in ANLCA for some time now and I have paid my dues. I have also attained a level in the association’s politics that put me in good stead to talk as a stakeholder.

I left as the Zonal Coordinator of the Association. I started from grassroots.
Like every other association, ANLCA is not new to crises but this present one is very unique and different from the previous crises that had bedeviled the association in the time past.
The present crisis started with the BOT and the members of the BOT did not lose elections.
The elections which brought in Tony Iju were somehow complicated. It was a collegiate system where only elected members into the college participated in the NECOM election which brought in Tony in 2018 at Enugu.
In that election, Tony was considered as an underdog, he won against the general expectations of the majority of voters who were in support of Emenike, his opponent. (Tony beat Emenike by three votes).
In that election, all the elected members in the West into the collegiate supported one particular candidate while the East’s votes were expected to be shared between the two contending candidates.
That was why almost everybody thought that the preferred candidate would win. But contrary to their expectations, the candidate who was not expected to win won and that was Tony Iju, the candidate I routed for even though I was not a member of the collegiate who voted in Enugu.
In that Election, Tony Iju was rated as an underdog because almost all the heavyweights in ANLCA were supporting Emenike.
Most of the BOT members, the past president, Olayiwola Shittu, naturally supported Emenike, his  Vice, and most of the chapter executives who were installed by the immediate past president.
So you can see that Tony was not expected to win.
But despite all the odds against his chances Tony, won the elections.
However, it was unfortunate that the BOT elections have been conducted and won before the NECOM elections which produced Tony were held.
However, the elections of principal officers in the BOT like Chairman, Secretary which were conducted within themselves, is where the problem started.
The elections of the principal officers like Chairman, the Vice -Chairman and Secretary is an internal arrangement within the board for administrative convenience. It was not recognized by the ANLCA constitution.
They would have had that election in the BOT before the NECOM election but the day the President was being inaugurated was the day the BOT held its own election in a hotel and this did not go down well with some members.
Some BOT members were with the President while some didn’t support him.
Those members of the board who supported Emenike who lost the elections were not with the president and that is the genesis of the present crisis.
So it looks like the board was polarised along with the two major contenders in the 2018 NECOM elections, Tony and Emenike.
This is the root cause of the problem and everything that has happened which have now snowballed into the present big crisis took its root from this scenario I just painted.
The BOT members, after their elections, called the president to resolve the crisis in the BOT but asked them to give him three months to settle down as he just assumed office.
But those members of the BOT who are opposed to his election as the president felt he was just playing pranks with them and what really angered them was the President did not do anything after the three months he promised as three months grew to six and to eight months, yet the President kept mute over the vexed issues in the BOT.
This, therefore, made those who are opposed to his elections be convinced that the President was not sincere but actually playing on their intelligence.Then the war started from there.

Before you knew it, one faction of the BOT went to court and got a judgment (not an order), asking the President not to recognise the other faction of the BOT and went further to state that some of the BOT  members of ANLCA who were validly elected were not registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission(CAC), therefore the court does not recognise them as the members of the BOT.
This is notwithstanding that these people were genuinely elected by members of the association to be in the board.
While the court does not recognise them, the ANLCA constitution recognises them.
The BOT members who the court does not recognise have already started working and even participated in the elections of the NECOM at Enugu.
This created a lacuna.
This led to another problem as the faction which the court said are not valid members of the BOT also went to court and this led to series of court injunctions that created so many crises.
This is where we are today.Q. Is it not a constitutional provision in the ANLCA that a dispute of this nature must first be subjected to the internal conflict resolution mechanism of the association and must not be taken to court?

A. Yes, that is what our constitution says but all the parties in the dispute are the same people whom the constitution empowered to hear and resolve such dispute.
For instance, such a dispute will go through the board where the President will be asked to set up a panel to adjudicate on the matter.
However, as you know, both the board and the President are in dispute here, and who is going to adjudicate on the matter?
The constitution does not envisage the peculiarity of this case.Q.This crisis started about three years ago, in fact, it started with the tenure of  Tony and it seems not to be abating. As one of the respected leaders of the association, what are you doing in order to ensure there is peace in the association as the crisis has taken a heavy toll on members?

A. Left for me, I would have sat down, folded my hands and watch them because I have never been a member of any faction, even when I have been badly treated before, I have never left ANLCA, I have always remained a loyal and disciplined member of the association.
The incessant crises in ANLCA, especially this present one, have made members, including me, concluded that the association has lost its aims and objectives, one of which is to cater to the welfare and professional well-being of members.
Nobody is talking about the welfare of members, their professional capacity, and how to enhance it, but what we busy ourselves with is endless squabbles and how to resolve them which, for me, is personal.
For me, this crisis would have been nipped on the board if the people concerned had done the right thing at the right time.
It was wrong for the members of the BOT to have held their election at the same time Tony was being inaugurated.
Equally, it was wrong for Tony not to have kept his promise to the board when he was invited to their meeting and pleaded for time, he should have kept his words.
Some members were calling the President unprintable name and even vowed not to recognise him as their President.

All these, though are part of association politics, have been taken too far and that is why we are where we are today.

In fairness to the President, he initiated some peace moves intended to reconcile the warring parties.

He set up a peace committee that comprised the warring parties, including Ofobikwe, the Zonal Coordinator, Alloy Eze, and other high-ranking members of ANLCA  and the committee came up with the report on how to restore peace to ANLCA.
I am a stakeholder in ANLCA and should know what is happening but I want to tell you that nobody has heard anything about that report till today.
That report was never read.Q. Whose fault?

A. The President’s. He was supposed to have called a meeting and read the report to the public.
It is just like the Nigerian situation where we set up various panels whose reports were never implemented.
Q. Could this have been one of the grouses of the aggrieved party?
A. I really do not know because I am not privy to the contents of the report since the report was not made public.
But I assume, like any other reasonable person will do, that since the report was not read, maybe, just maybe, some of the recommendations in the reports are not favourable to a particular side.
If it does not favour a particular side, it could possibly mean, I am just insinuating because I am not sure, the report may not have favour the present NECOM.
This is because if it did not favour the other side, they would have voiced out.
After the report, the President took another giant step towards reconciliation. I will always want to give due respect to whom it is due.
The President called all members of his group, his supporters and told them that he was going to forgive those who are calling him names and those who said they will not recognise him as the President.
 He told them that he was going to forgive them and lift their suspension.
He did that by lifting the suspension and this made all his supporters mad at him but I had to tell them that they should allow the President to exercise his discretionary powers and authority as the President.
That he is not a President of a faction.
However, the President was silent on the issue of the BOT members who are opposed to him.
When he granted pardon to the Western chapter executives who formed a parallel government, he did not pardon the estrangled BOT members and that made the crisis not to abate.
This made the estrangled BOT members decided that the President has drawn the battle line and he has played on their intelligence.
This other side in the BOT which the court said are not recognised went to the CAC and got themselves registered.
They brought the letter to the NECOM but the letter was dated two days after their tenure must have expired and they said they wanted to start afresh.
This resulted in another level of confusion and crisis.
Any sensible person who is on the side of truth would know that this could not be possible and that was the position of the NECOM which the affected BOT members rejected.
And this has resulted in a fresh crisis that we are in today in ANLCA.
Q. Having analysed the genesis of the crisis, as a person who is committed to restoring peace to ANLCA, what efforts have you made to ensure there is peace in the association?
A. When these issues were going on, I took it on myself to reach out to all the aggrieved parties in order to broker peace.
I have visited Alhaji Mustapha twice to plead with him on the need to shield his sword. I have met Ofobikwe, I have met Segun Odutan. I have met Barrister Ada Aphononu, one after the other, pleading with them to embrace peace.
I have even gone to Dr. Opara who was a strong supporter of Tony Iju before the crisis broke out.
Barrister Ada even elected to follow me.
I had met with Dayo Abdulaziz at the airport, pleaded with him to embrace peace.
I have been to almost all the major contenders in this matter and there was nowhere necessary for me to get the cooperation of these people that I have not gone to.I called Ernest Elochukwu and later went to him with Anyman and Alloy Eze and I pleaded with him on the way forward.

Let me state here that Chief Elochukwu was the only one who told me the real reason they are fighting Tony Iju.
He told me the reason for their anger which others I met did not tell me.
Based on what he told me, I suspended my peace efforts for a while.
Q. What did he tell you?
A. Relax, you will get to know in a while.  It is related to what made me suspend my peace moves. I was with three people when I met him.
We discussed so many things which I will not divulge here.
But later, Chief Elochukwu called me by my name and said ‘Ozomena, We( he refers to the remaining five members of the board whom the court said were not recognised but later got registered on one side and the other three before Aare Sanni Shittu died) are like bulls in the Chinese Shop.
You can interpret the idiomatic expression he used.
He said their main aim is to destroy Tony Iju’s s administration, that he would not be relevant.
It is now left for Tony Iju to learn how to navigate the raging bulls from his Chinese shop to forestall further destruction.
It was a very instructive proverb.
They felt Tony Iju destroyed the little tenure they had as the BOT members through what they regarded as his insincerity of purpose when he was called upon to intervene in the crisis in the BOT then.
They felt that by his attitude which they regarded as playing pranks, Tony allowed the crisis in the BOT to fester to his own advantage which eventually truncated their tenure.
Q. So it was a tit for tat, a payback time?
A.That is exactly what is happening. Any other things you are hearing or they are telling you is secondary.
That is at the core of the present crisis.
That was the exact word Elochukwu used, that they are like bulls in the Chinese shop. You can quote me.
I was with two people,  Anyman, Alloy Eze and I now understand.
But I said these bulls have destroyed enough and that it is time to lure the bulls out of the shop so that the owner of the shop can now take full control of his shop and repair whatever may have been destroyed.
That was at the point I suspended my efforts of reconciliation. I had to allow temper to cool down.
Within that time I suspended my peace moves, there were lots of things that happened.
That was when the national secretariat was attacked. Also, that was when the crisis in Tin Can happened, and President was attacked and also, after that,  a vehicle belonging to the association was forcibly removed from the secretariat which led to the fracas and one person who is our member nearly lost his life.
The boy that was attacked was identified to be on the Mustapha faction so it was assumed the people who attacked are from Tony Iju camp.
I made my investigation and I found out that Tony, in his capacity as the President asked those who charted away the association properties to return them within 48 hours.
And before the ultimatum elapsed, there was an attack where a boy from Mustapha camp was nearly killed.
That was when I got in touch with some leaders of the association like Henry Njoku and Elochukwu and warned them of the dangerous dimension the crisis was taking.
We were so fortunate that the boy did not die, if he had died, the situation would have been more precarious by now.
Going around these people is not an easy task.
You will get to some of them they would say, ” can we trust you ?” Some of them don’t even trust me, they thought I am a moll.
But that will not deter me. My spirit keeps telling me to do the little I could and if they agree to sheath their swords, the better for all of us. But if they are adamant, I would have been seen to have done my best as I cannot kill myself.
But I will keep moving.
I have even been to Taiye Oyeniyi who sounded very understanding.
If we started to recount the type of humiliation people have suffered in this association, I was the most affected but that has not made me work against the interests of the association.
We should all toe the line of peace and forgive one another, that is the only thing that can save this association.
As former President Goodluck Jonathan said, no ambition is worth the blood of our members.

Q. Having listened to you sir, it is clear that the aggrieved people are hitting back at Tony whom they felt truncated their tenure as the BOT members and they too wanted to truncate his own tenure as the President.

However, as the peacemaker, what efforts have you made to ensure that the two warring parties drop their hardline posture and embrace peace?
A. As a human being, I will try my best. I have been called several names while on these self-appointed peacemaking moves, but that will not deter me.
I will continue. I am not an ambitious person and I don’t belong to any of the two warring groups. I am contented with the level I have attained in the association.
I will continue to talk with both warring sides and try to convince them to sheath their swords. We must embrace the spirit of giving and take.
 I have made a proposal to both sides which I will not make public so that it can sail through.
The proposal is on how to made the two sides embrace peace.
You know we have a new BOT which I am one of them, the one which elections were held in Owerri. The tenure of the former one has expired.
Even though the other group is still insisting that they are the BOT, but they know that their tenure has expired.
For me, the election in Owerri was in order because the President made wide consultation before it was held.
If it means to come to the round table where both sides will make concessions for peace to reign, so be it.
Q.(CUTS IN). Even if it means collapsing the two BOTs and conduct fresh elections where all the two warring groups will participate?
A. God bless you. Exactly. You have started to reveal some of my proposals which I did not want in the public.If that will bring peace, it is ok. Those who have served their two tenures will leave while others, such as those with one tenure and new entrants, can participate in the fresh BOT elections.

Let me also remind you that at the Owerri NECOM meeting, far-reaching resolutions were made that is supposed to remove some of the causes of these incessant crises in the association.

One of such is that all NECOM officials will now serve a single tenure of five years. President will now have one single tenure of five years, starting from the incumbent who is Tony while chapter executives will serve a single tenure of four years instead of three years.
That means Tony will serve an extra one year.
If that is not acceptable, all the sides can sit down and look into the resolutions and come up with the ones that are agreeable to all the sides in order to achieve peace.
I, Prince Ozo Chukwurah, if it means I have to sacrifice my position on the new BOT for peace to reign, I am more than willing to let go of my position.Q. To what extent do you think the Mustapha- led faction will agree to your proposal of collapsing the two BOTs?

A. That will depend on how the proposal is tabled and addressed.
We are not going to reopen the old wound, we are not going to find faults or apportion blame but put all the contending parties on the same page so one will not feel inferior or superior to the other.
However, in all these efforts, the two groups must recognise that Tony is still the President.
So far, the reactions have been positive.
However, until all the groups are brought to the same table, including the BOT members, there are just eight in numbers,  excluding the late Aare Sanni Shittu, before we now fully unveil and sell the proposal to them.My intention, therefore, is to cause a peace meeting of the two contending sides, together with the past presidents who are available where all these issues will be looked into and thoroughly debated and a consensus will be reached to achieve the desired peace.

Q. How soon will this reconciliatory meeting be convened?
A. I am still consulting. Until I finish the necessary consultation and get the buy-in of all the sides to the dispute and that of the past presidents, it is then the meeting could take place.
The venue is equally important to me. I was thinking of taking it to Abeokuta or Asaba. God will provide the cost. I think with God on my side, I shall try my best possible.
But the few I have consulted so far agreed that Lagos is still central. That will show you that some of them are showing interest.
There is no one who does not want peace no matter how you pretend.
Nobody has a monopoly of violence but it is essential we embrace peace because we all have children and relations.
Violence has no ethnic colouration. Before it was Igbo against Yoruba but now it is Yoruba attacking another Yoruba in Tin Can while the Igbos are watching them, while they are attacking an Igbo man at the top.
All these have to stop. It is an ill wind that blows no one any good.
I don’t belong to any group. I want them to allow Tony to finish his tenure and allow ANLCA to know peace once again.
Q. What inspires you to take up this challenge of reconciliation?
A. I was inspired by my desire for peace and the need to restore sanity to the association.
I do not want any loss of life because this crisis was getting out of hands and if care is not taken, it may snowball into bloodletting which I abhor.
However, what really emboldened my resolve to take up this role of peacemaker, despite the obvious challenges, was when I went to Tin Can a few weeks ago.
I walked into a group of young members of our association who said to me, “Oga’ you are the only one we trust to take up the role of a peacemaker.
They said they had confidence in me to bring the two warring parties to reconciliation.
Alhaji Lungu was there, Lala, one Bamidele Shittu was there.
 It was raining, that very day they said the Transportation Minister came to Apapa.
However, Chief Elochukwu has called me and spoke to me after I visited him and asked me to meet with Barrister Ada and that she would give me the necessary support.
Initially, Ada didn’t want to talk but later she had to call me and since then she has been the most outstanding person who has been inspiring me on these reconciliatory efforts to date.
She has even volunteered to join me in the mission to restore peace to ANLCA.
So, anywhere I go for the reconciliatory efforts, she willingly joins me.
I have also requested that Ofobikwe should join us and he has agreed in a way.
The next person I want to meet is the immediate past President of ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu.
May God support my efforts and strengthen me in this onerous task of restoring the much-needed peace to ANLCA.
I am positive that I shall succeed on this mission.

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Customs

NCS offers employment to 3,852 candidates as 2025 recruitment exercise ends

By Gloria Odion, Maritime Reporter

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has concluded its 2025 recruitment exercise, offering employment to 3,852 successful candidates after more than one year of screening and assessment.

The recruitment exercise, which began with a newspaper advertisement on December 27, 2024, was initially designed to fill 3,927 vacancies across various cadres of the Service.
The exercise attracted a staggering 573,500 applications, out of which 286,697 candidates were shortlisted after the initial screening.

Following several phases of rigorous screening, the number was eventually reduced to 3,853 candidates, with 3,852 candidates completing the final screening and being offered employment.

The final stage of the exercise was conducted at the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Gwagwalada, Abuja, where candidates across the different cadres underwent documentation, physical fitness assessment and medical screening.

The two-week final screening exercise, which commenced on Monday, September 7, 2026, ended on Saturday, September 19, 2026.

It covered candidates shortlisted for the Assistant Superintendent of Customs II (ASCII), Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres.

The screening was conducted in batches to ensure an orderly process, reduce congestion and improve the overall experience of candidates.

Speaking on the outcome of the exercise, the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Human Resource Development, Frank Onyeka, said the Service had introduced measures to address challenges identified during the earlier stages of the exercise and improve the efficiency of the final screening.

“We have put measures in place to reduce congestion and ensure a smoother process this week. The gaps identified last week have been addressed, and we do not expect them to recur this week,” Onyeka said.

He also stressed the need for discipline, responsibility and strict compliance with established procedures throughout the recruitment process.

Also speaking, the Deputy Comptroller of Customs and member of the coordinating team, Adamu Musa, said the exercise recorded significant improvements, with nearly 3,000 candidates screened without any casualty.

According to him, one of the major innovations introduced into the process was the use of personalised screening forms containing candidates’ records from the various stages of the assessment.

“Any candidate that has been shortlisted has a form designed especially for him, unlike in the past where you come, they issue you a form, and then some people along the way go and even change some of the records.

“These forms come with the candidates’ records, including their names and details for sports, medical, documentation, and the checklist of required items. So, once the candidate comes, you just verify what you already have from the system,” Musa explained.

He said the introduction of the personalised forms had helped to strengthen the integrity of the process and reduce the possibility of manipulation of candidates’ records.

Musa further underscored the importance of continuous manpower development in strengthening the capacity of the Service to effectively discharge its responsibilities in national security, border protection, trade facilitation and other statutory functions.

He noted that the expanding responsibilities of the Customs Service made it imperative to continually improve the quality, competence and preparedness of its workforce.

According to him, candidates were assessed against established recruitment criteria, including age, physical fitness and drug screening.

He explained that candidates who tested positive for prohibited substances, exceeded the prescribed age limit or were found to have physical conditions capable of affecting their ability to perform assigned duties could be disqualified, subject to the final decision of the Service management.

Musa also advised candidates and members of the public to rely only on recruitment information published through the official Nigeria Customs Service website and verified social media platforms.

He warned against relying on unverified messages or individuals claiming to possess privileged information about the recruitment exercise, stressing that such channels could expose unsuspecting candidates to fraudulent activities.

The completion of the recruitment exercise marks a major step in the Customs Service’s efforts to expand and strengthen its human resource base, while ensuring that new personnel are selected through a structured, transparent and merit-based process.

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Dantsoho, Mobereola, Akutah, LASWA GM, Fakolade, Okorefe to headline Primetime Reporters’ 2026 annual lecture

Gloria Odion, Maritme reporter 

Former lecturer at the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State, Dr. Charles Okorefe, has been appointed keynote speaker for the 2026 Primetime Reporters’ Annual Lecture and Awards scheduled to hold in Lagos on October 15.

Okorefe’s appointment comes as a strong line-up of senior maritime, ports, logistics and blue economy stakeholders has been assembled for the annual industry gathering.

Among those expected to speak at the event are the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho; Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola; and Director-General of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), Barr. Pius Akutah.

Others are the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Blue Economy and General Manager of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Mr. Oluwadamilola Emmanuel; Managing Director of Trucks Transit Park (TTP), Mr. Jama Onwubuariri; and National Coordinator of the National Single Window Secretariat, Mr. Tola Fakolade.

The 2026 lecture, organised by Primetime Reporters, will bring together policymakers, regulators, industry operators and other stakeholders to examine emerging issues shaping Nigeria’s maritime, ports, logistics and blue economy sectors.

The event is themed: “Smarter Gateways, Greener Logistics: Leveraging the Port Community System and National Single Window for Zero-Emission Trade.”

The theme is expected to focus attention on the need to accelerate digital transformation across Nigeria’s ports and logistics ecosystem through greater integration, automation, data sharing and technology-driven trade processes.

Okorefe’s selection as keynote speaker is expected to bring an academic and industry perspective to the discourse, given his experience in maritime education and professional practice.

His presentation is expected to examine the opportunities and challenges associated with developing smarter, more connected and environmentally sustainable maritime gateways, while highlighting the role of digital integration in improving port efficiency and trade facilitation.

Okorefe, who is Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Kamany Marine Services Limited, is the author of ABC of Shipping and Ports’ Operation in Nigeria. He also serves as South-South Coordinator of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria.

The other speakers are expected to bring sector-specific perspectives to discussions around port administration, maritime regulation, inland waterways transportation, logistics, digital trade facilitation and the implementation of the National Single Window.

Speaking on the significance of the event, Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of Primetime Reporters, Mr. Saint Augustine Nwadinamuo, said the annual lecture would provide a platform for stakeholders to assess ongoing reforms in the maritime sector and develop practical strategies for improving port efficiency and Nigeria’s trade competitiveness.

He said discussions would also focus on reducing cargo dwell time, strengthening trade facilitation and positioning Nigeria as a competitive maritime hub.

Particular attention is expected to be devoted to the Port Community System (PCS) and National Single Window (NSW), which are being developed as key instruments for streamlining cargo clearance, reducing paperwork, enhancing transparency and connecting stakeholders across the maritime and trade ecosystem.

The event will also feature the presentation of the Primetime Reporters’ 2026 Maritime and Blue Economy Awards to individuals and organisations recognised for their contributions to the development of Nigeria’s maritime industry.

Nwadinamuo said the awards would be based on merit, professional track record and measurable contributions to the sector, stressing that they were not for sale.

The 2026 Annual Lecture and Awards is scheduled for Thursday, October 15, 2026, at Rockview Hotels, GRA, Apapa, Lagos, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

A former Director-General of NIMASA, Barr. Temisan Omatseye, is expected to chair the event.

The gathering is expected to attract senior government officials, regulators, terminal operators, freight forwarders, shipping companies, logistics practitioners, academics, professional associations, journalists and other stakeholders across Nigeria’s maritime and trade sectors.

Nwadinamuo called on government agencies, professional associations, corporate organisations, maritime stakeholders and individuals to partner with Primetime Reporters to ensure the success of the 2026 Annual Lecture and Awards.

He said partnership opportunities include advertisement placements in the event brochure and other event materials, sponsorship of the entire programme or specific segments, as well as other opportunities associated with the event.

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Ehingbeti summit seeks coastal resilience fund for Nigeria’s littoral communities

 Funso OLOJO, Editor

Stakeholders at the 4th Ehingbeti Maritime Hub Summit have called for the establishment of a dedicated Coastal Resilience Fund to finance coastal protection, infrastructure development and livelihood-support programmes in communities threatened by environmental degradation and inadequate infrastructure.

The stakeholders said such a financing mechanism would provide a sustainable funding window for strengthening Nigeria’s coastal communities while enabling them to participate more actively in the emerging marine and blue economy.

The call was made at the 4th Ehingbeti Maritime Hub Summit held Thursday at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, where experts, policymakers and industry players examined the legal, regulatory, security and investment frameworks required to unlock Nigeria’s blue economy potential.

Delivering the keynote address, President of the Maritime Arbitrators Association of Nigeria (MAAN), Chief Jean Chiazor Anishere, SAN, said Nigeria needed to move beyond policy declarations and develop practical financing mechanisms capable of addressing the infrastructure and environmental challenges confronting its coastal communities.

Anishere urged the Federal Government to leverage international financing opportunities, including climate funds, development finance institutions and multilateral organisations, to scale up investments in coastal resilience and community development.

She said sustained investment in coastal infrastructure would protect livelihoods, strengthen economic assets and create an enabling environment for coastal communities to benefit directly from the blue economy.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria also stressed the importance of effective governance, saying Nigeria’s blue economy could only thrive where there was a predictable legal and institutional framework for investment, innovation and sustainable exploitation of marine resources.

She called for a regulatory regime that would provide certainty and security for investors while remaining flexible enough to encourage innovation, environmentally responsible enough to protect marine resources and inclusive enough to deliver benefits to coastal populations.

According to her, security, sustainability and governance would remain critical pillars of Nigeria’s blue economy development.

Anishere further advocated improved waste-management infrastructure, sustainable fishing practices, recycling education and environmental stewardship programmes targeted at coastal communities.

She also urged greater private-sector participation in blue tourism, resilient infrastructure and marine-based enterprises, stressing the need for appropriate incentives, streamlined regulations and public-private partnerships.

Representing Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Bopo Oyekan-Ismaila, said the state was committed to an inclusive approach to blue economy development.

She noted that although the Ehingbeti initiative was historically associated with Lagos Island, the state’s blue economy agenda would extend to communities across Lagos.

Oyekan-Ismaila said Governor Sanwo-Olu had encouraged participants to collaborate in producing a communiqué that would provide practical recommendations for advancing the blue economy agenda of Lagos State.

The Convener of the Ehingbeti Maritime Hub and Founder of the Ocean Ambassadors Foundation, Hon. Olaitan Violet Williams, said the Hub was established in 2023 to reconnect Lagos with its rich maritime history.

According to her, Ehingbeti represents an important chapter in the evolution of Lagos from its early trading history to the modern-day Eko.

Williams identified inland waterways as one of the most immediate opportunities available to Nigeria under the blue economy agenda, but lamented that the country’s estimated 10,000 kilometres of waterways remained largely underutilised.

She called for increased investment and stronger legal protection for investors, arguing that Nigeria could not unlock the economic value of its waterways while large sections remained unnavigable.

The Chairman of the occasion and Chairman of the NIWA Governing Board, Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu Shagari, represented by a member of the Board, Capt. Tajudeen Alao, commended Williams for her commitment to the development of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy.

Shagari said coastal communities must remain at the centre of blue economy policies and called for an appropriate legal framework to accelerate the development of Nigeria’s littoral states.

Representing the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha, Rear Admiral N.C. Okon called for stronger maritime regulation and effective enforcement of existing laws.

Okon identified “sea blindness” as one of the factors limiting Nigeria’s ability to fully exploit its maritime potential.

He said effective collaboration among government agencies, coastal communities and development partners was essential to building a sustainable maritime economy.

According to him, Nigeria’s blue economy ambitions could not be sustained in an environment characterised by insecurity, environmental degradation, illicit maritime activities and regulatory uncertainty.

He reaffirmed the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to providing the secure maritime environment necessary for commerce, investment and the sustainable exploitation of the country’s marine resources.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), Ekeoma Ezeibe, described insurance as a critical component of maritime and blue economy development.

She said adequate insurance protection was necessary to safeguard maritime assets, infrastructure and businesses against the wide range of risks associated with marine operations.

A major highlight of the summit was the launch of the 28 Inland Waterways Investment Jigsaw, an initiative designed to identify and showcase viable investment opportunities across Nigeria’s inland waterways and provide a structured pathway for increased private-sector participation.

The initiative is expected to support investment in water transportation and other marine-related businesses by drawing attention to specific opportunities across the country’s inland waterways.

The summit brought together government representatives, maritime professionals, security agencies, legal practitioners, insurers, traditional rulers, academics, private-sector operators and representatives of coastal communities.

Participants reaffirmed the need for stronger regulation, enhanced maritime security, sustainable financing, infrastructure investment and community inclusion if Nigeria is to translate its vast blue economy potential into sustainable economic growth and improved livelihoods.

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