Headlines

EU offers support for ECOWAS’ fight against maritime insecurity in West Africa

—donates euro 5.4million worth of equipment to coastal states

Eyewitness reporte

The European Union has offered financial and moral support to the ECOWAS Commission in its figt against maritime insecurity in the sub region.

At the two-day high-level maritime security seminar held from 4th to 5th April, 2022 at the ECOWAS headquarters, Abuja, Nigeria, the EU announced a donation of 30 Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) and other security equipment worth euro 5.4 million to combat maritime crimes in the coast of ECOWAS Countries.

The seminar was organised in the framework of the European Union-funded Support to West Africa Integrated Maritime Security (SWAIMS) project.

The boats and equipment were provided under the EU-funded ECOWAS project tagged the Support to West Africa Integrated Maritime Security (SWAIMS) project, a multi-component, regional initiative implemented in all 15 ECOWAS countries.

Col. Abdourahmane Dieng, the Head of ECOWAS’ Regional Security Division said that Maritime insecurity had long been one of the most persistent and intractable threats to maritime communities and economic prosperity in West Africa.

Dieng, however, said that West African countries require a whole of coordinated response to tackle the scourge of attacks, piracy and armed robberies against the vessels.“For that, we have developed an ECOWAS integrated maritime strategy around five pillars to ensure security in the fifteen member states within ECOWAS maritime domain.

“And also reinforce our capacity in terms of managing our maritime environment and also developing our capacity in terms of blue economy, and also develop our culture in terms of maritime.

“We are receiving support from our partners, the main partner coming in is the European Union and today we are also here together with SWAIMS to try to capacitate the member states.“

By providing them with Rigid Inflatable boats that allow the Member states to fight against illegal fishing through some paroling in the maritime domain.

“Today, all the Member States are represented by their relevant agencies and also representatives to discuss draft an agreement for the sharing of the Rigid Inflatable boats.

“And also try to develop the modalities of the way to capacitate the member states to be able to use them today,” Dieng said.

Dr Axel Klien, SWAIMS Representative said that the Seminar was part of a wider programme to support Maritime security in the ECOWAS region.

Klien said that the Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats would be provided to the Navy and coast guards of all 12 coastal ECOWAS member states and the provision of equipment to the maritime operation centres.

This he explained would help to curb maritime crimes and piracy which had ravaged the coastal lines of ECOWAS Countries.

“There are different types of Maritime crimes, there are piracy and armed robbery, there are also illegal fishing, and there are the trade-in illicit goods.

“So, against all these crimes, the coast guards, the police, the law enforcement agencies, the prosecuting services, they need to be provided with the equipment.

“What we are talking about today here is providing to ECOWAS, with funding from the European Union are thirty digital inflatable boats that can go out into the sea and catch the perpetrators.

“And, also the forensic equipment and communications and other equipment that will help the maritime centres coordinate these operations.“

“If you look at the numbers of piracy incidents in these regions, you will find that all the different efforts by navies and coast guards and international partners have been successful in reducing the numbers.

“So, we need to build on that success by strengthening the security system that is in place at the moment.

“International cooperation is critical and here is why ECOWAS is playing a valuable role for its multinational coordination centres, the exchange of information and the coordination of expenses,” Klien said.

Amb. Joao Almeida, President Camoes Institute, who lauded the programme said, the institution was excited to have been charged by the European Union to implement the project.

Almedia expressed optimism that the boats and equipment when handed over would achieve their purpose of combatting all forms of maritime crimes in the region.

“We have been charged by the European Union to be the implementors of the project that we are going to have here.“We are going to discuss how to go ahead with the MOU among the 12 states of ECOWAS,” Almedia said.

The seminar reviewed and refined modalities for the distribution of essential maritime security equipment across ECOWAS’ littoral countries.

The meeting agreed that turning the tide against maritime insecurity is a collaborative effort that no single country or region can tackle alone.

For this reason, ECOWAS, in conjunction with the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), formulated the Yaoundé Code of Conduct as a foundation for broad-based regional maritime security along the entire Gulf of Guinea.

But the security partnership goes beyond Africa, embracing the European Union (EU) and other key international players geographically outside the Gulf of Guinea because the Gulf is of global importance as a crucial international maritime route.

“The EU is a committed partner to the Gulf of Guinea region and will continue to provide extensive and targeted assistance to strengthen the critical features of the Yaoundé security architecture, further cementing the long-standing relationship between ECOWAS and the EU,” affirmed Ambassador Nicolas Berlanga Martinez, the EU Senior Coordinator for the Gulf of Guinea, who will attend the event in person.

Among these efforts is the EU-funded ECOWAS project tagged SWAIMS, a collaborative, complex, multi-component, regional initiative implemented by various partners, and covering all 15 ECOWAS countries.SWAIMS is helping organise the high-level maritime security seminar bringing together representatives from the 12 coastal ECOWAS countries: Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo.

In attendance at the strategic seminar are high-level officials from the Ministries of Defence (mostly the Navy), Transport (mostly Maritime Agencies) and Foreign Affairs.

The boats and forensic equipment will be supplied to coastal ECOWAS countries by Portugal’s Camões, IP.

Camões, working closely with the Portuguese Navy, will also provide related training and maintenance.

“In financial terms, the delivery of RHIBs and forensic equipment worth more than 5 million euros is the most significant component of the SWAIMS project,” observed Dr Axel Klein, SWAIMS Team Leader.

The boats and equipment will significantly enhance the capacity of beneficiary countries to enforce the rule of law in their territorial waters and adjoining exclusive economic zones.

SWAIMS adopts a pragmatic and holistic approach to enhancing maritime security.

Equipment supply is not only a crucial extension but also a logical follow-up to the other SWAIMS components that – through the training of personnel, the drafting of standard operating procedures, and the strengthening of the legal framework – have engendered the necessary preconditions for efficient and effective use of the equipment.

Besides Camões, other SWAIMS implementing partners assuring these various preconditions are Institut de sécurité maritime interregional in Côte d’Ivoire, Regional Maritime University in Ghana, ECOWAS’ Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Aviation

FAAN resumes toll collection at Airports, adopts hybrid payment method

Gloria Odion, Reporter

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) have resumed collection of toll at all its toll plazas located at the airports in the country, including Murtalar Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

The toll suspension arose from the chaos which the new cashless payment method introduced by FAAN recently generated which resulted in long queues of motorists at these facilities.

This development has raised public outcry which necessitated the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who directed the suspension of the cashless payment system.

However, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed the resumption of toll collection at all these plazas.

In a press statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, the Minister declared that a hybrid access gate payment should be adopted by FAAN at the toll gates located at the Airports in the country.

“Following the earlier suspension of the full cashless Access Gate payment system as directed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu due to the traffic gridlock it created, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development met with officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and senior officials of the Ministry.

“After reviewing the initial implementation and the operational challenges observed, the following decisions were reached:

” The Ministry has resolved to engage concessionaires in order to introduce a fully automated or electronic system at all access gates at our airports in order to fully and eventually eliminate cash payments.

” In the meantime, a hybrid payment system that accommodates both cash and card payments will resume at all airport access gates with effect from Friday, March 13, 2026.

” Motorists who already possess FAAN Go Cashless Cards may continue to use them until further notice.

“Other electronic payment options, including POS terminals and other approved digital channels, will also remain available.

“Members of the public and road users are encouraged to obtain and use the FAAN Go Cashless Card as the Authority continues to enhance and fully optimise the cashless payment system.

“This directive restores the previous access gate payment arrangement whilst the Ministry continues to work on the fully automated or electronic system” the statement concluded.

Headlines

NPA shines as Outstanding Agency of the Year 2025 at Champions newspaper Awards ceremony

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has won another award as the Outstanding Agency of the Year 2025 conferred on the agency by Champions Newspaper at its 2025 Awards ceremony held in Lagos.

Receiving the award on behalf of the Managing Director of the Authority, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, described the award as recognition of Danthoso vigorous leadership in implementing smart initiatives that align with the NPA’s vision to become the Maritime Logistics Hub for Sustainable Port Services in Africa.

The NPA MD highlighted the invaluable support of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, which he said has been instrumental in achieving these remarkable successes.

According Dantsoho, some of the key remarkable performances of NPA include sustained port efficiencies, which contributed to Nigeria’s year-on-year trade surplus of ₦7.5 trillion and ₦6.7 trillion in Q2 and Q3 2025 (per NBS and NESG reports), driven mainly by exports via NPA platforms.

He also mentioned the successful execution of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policy for crude and petroleum product sales in Naira, saving billions in FOREX, enhancing energy security, improving trade balance, and creating jobs.

Others include completion of Nigeria’s membership in the International Port Community System Association (IPCSA), paving the way for the National Single Window (NSW) project, technical guidance enabling a significant rise in transhipment cargo at Lekki Deep Seaport, serving landlocked neighbours and recovering cargo lost to competing ports.

Another achievement made under the leadership of Danthoso was his electorial victory as the President of the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa (PMAWCA), with Dr. Dantsoho also leading PAPC, boosting Nigeria’s diplomatic standing and securing re-admission to IMO Category C.

Champions Newspaper conferred the award in appreciation of NPA’s pivotal role as a leading trade facilitation platform driving national economic prosperity through Nigeria’s maritime endowments.

Headlines

Anti-Corruption Group Commends FG on National Single Window Initiative

Gloria Odion,Maritime Reporter

The Media Anti-Corruption Initiatives (MACI), a leading non-governmental organization(NGO), has applauded the Federal Government’s forthcoming launch of the National Single Window (NSW), a centralized platform designed to integrate all transactions and interactions with public agencies.

In a joint press release, Captain Adamu Mishela (Chairman) and Funso Olojo (Secretary General) emphasized the significance of the NSW as a groundbreaking reform aimed at streamlining trade procedures, enhancing transparency, and strengthening integrity across the public sector.

Originally introduced nearly two years ago by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the NSW represents a major fiscal reform intended to boost Nigeria’s competitiveness on the global stage.

Captain Mishela noted that MACI believes the initiative will minimize opportunities for corrupt practices, accelerate service delivery for citizens and businesses, and restore public confidence in government institutions

MACI reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding public resources, upholding the rule of law, and promoting transparency.

The organization also expressed readiness to collaborate with government agencies, private sector partners, civil society, and the wider public to ensure the NSW achieves its objectives, mitigates risks, and serves as a strong defense against corruption.

In support of the NSW project, MACI is set to hold a seminar with the theme “Tamper-Proof National Single Window” to ensure that the initiative succeeds where other reforms before it faltered.

This initiative marks a significant step toward building a more open, accountable, and citizen-focused public sector in Nigeria.