Headlines

Shipping companies jittery over higher freight costs due to carbon tax

The Global Shippers Forum (GSF), is a global business organization that represents cargo owners exporting and importing to international supply chains is jittery over a possible increase in freight cost as a result of the new carbon tax that will be discussed at this week’s meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

It seems that it will increase freight costs for shippers beyond the already record levels.

After decades of efforts by the IMO to reach an agreement on the so-called IMO 2023, a set of energy efficiency measures for existing ships, which will take effect next year, MEPC will now consider a further proposal for the introduction of a carbon tax on bunker fuel.

Such a tax will be imposed as an incentive to switch to fuel options with lower carbon emissions and could eventually double the current price of traditional fuels.

GSF, in trying to mitigate the effects, urges regulators to ensure that the ability of shipping lines to remove older capacity from the market, which they consider uneconomical to upgrade to progressively more demanding levels of performance, is not used as a disguised means for capacity management resulting in higher freight rates.

James Hookham, GSF director said “Shippers will be forgiven for thinking that the proposal and its consideration at the IMO will inevitably result in still higher freight rates.

”That’s because the shipping industry has a very efficient mechanism for passing through higher fuel costs in the form of BAF; a surcharge to cover variations in fuel price. There are few reassurances in the existing proposals that a Carbon Tax won’t just be passed through as an added cost for shippers.”

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.