Headlines
International shipping cartel removes Nigeria from paying war insurance premium
He said this has led to the cancellation of the stigma placed on Nigeria as the most dangerous water in the world and the country was removed from the piracy list for the first time in March 2022.H
However, the international shipping cartel refused to remove the country from paying war insurance premiums despite this feat.
This, therefore, led NIMASA to embark on a campaign against the continued imposition of this surcharge which Jamoh described as no longer justifiable in the face of the successes recorded in the fight against piracy.
However, the NIMASA campaign may have eventually paid off as the country has finally exited from this inglorious era of payment of war insurance premiums.
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo said that Nigeria’s exit from the surcharge was owing to improved naval operations in Nigeria’s maritime domain and enhanced security architecture in the country’s sea lanes.
Making this disclosure in Abuja Thursday, the Naval chief said Nigeria was removed from the list of countries paying War Insurance Premium on ships whose destination is Nigeria by Llyods of London, United Kingdom.
The war insurance premium meant that cargo ships and other vessels plying the Nigerian route or whose destination was Nigeria paid a significantly higher premium on insurance due to heightened security fears and attacks including piracy which were a frequent occurrence in the past before the Nigerian Navy overcame the criminal activities of pirates in the country’s sea lanes and maritime domain.
Admiral Gambo noted that “with the removal of the tag, insurance premium to be paid by ships doing business with, or plying Nigerian sea lanes will become normal insurance paid by other countries which are less expensive and will enhance shipping/cargo trade”
Similarly, the Nigerian Navy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) through the Navy Holdings Limited (NHL) and Akewa Global Services for the Upgrade and reactivation of the Burutu Dockyard and building of a Naval Logistics Base to be located at Burutu, in Delta State.The MoU on the Burutu Dockyard reactivation/development which is a Nigerian project, aimed at decongesting land transport challenges while reviving inland waterways transport that was abandoned at the jetty since the 1960s.
On the MoU, the CNS said, “It is with great delight that I welcome everyone to this unique collaborative initiative, which is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Navy Holdings Limited and Akewa Global Services Limited.
“This partnership with the Nigerian Navy is to revive the dock facilities, by upgrading and modernizing the facilities to support maritime commerce, especially in preparation for the take-off of the regional Sealink Inland Water Cargo Transportation.
“This will greatly assist in the movement of bulk cargoes from Nigeria’s hinterland thereby boosting our country’s non-oil export, especially solid minerals and agricultural exports.
Gambo said the desire to safeguard the nation’s maritime domain for socio-economic activities to thrive, prompted the Nigerian Navy to collaborate with Akewa Global Services Limited adding that signing of the MoU is the beginning of good things and better relationships between both organisations and by extension, the good people of Burutu Community.
“It is my hope that this collaboration would continue to blossom and yield expected dividends that could rid the nation’s maritime environment of activities of criminal elements and economic saboteurs while attracting desired development to both parties and the nation at large”, he said, adding “Undoubtedly, this collaboration will further position the Nigerian Navy to support government’s development of sustainable Blue Economy”.
Explaining the legal basis for the MoU, Admiral Gambo said, “Pertinently, the Presidential Executive Order 5 of 2nd February 2018, allows Ministries, Departments and Agencies to partner or engage reputable indigenous professional companies in Joint Venture relationships in realization of corporate objectives.
“Accordingly, this partnership with Akewa Global Services Limited stands to yield great benefits in Local Content Development in the areas of shipbuilding technology as well as other aspects of science and engineering”.
“Therefore, while the Nigerian Navy benefits in enhancing the turnaround maintenance of her vessels, the good people of the Burutu Community would also derive maximum benefits from employment opportunities and corporate social responsibilities that would arise from this collaboration. This partnership will also lead to the establishment of a standard Base to facilitate all-around security of the facility, the community and the entire region.
Articulating other objectives of the MoU, the CNS said, , ‘My vision for the Nigerian Navy is to leverage all factors of national location, technology, training teamwork and synergy to re-energize the Service and enhance her as a well-motivated and ready naval force in the discharge of her constitutional mandate in fulfillment of national security objectives.
“To achieve this, one of the policy thrusts of my administration is geared towards renewal and re-invigoration of the Nigerian Navy Fleet. The strategic objective of this Fleet Renewal Project is to develop and sustain the right mix of ships and assets capable of sustaining the presence of the Nigerian Navy across the span of the nation’s maritime domain.
“Undoubtedly, attaining this objective requires standard shipbuilding capability, repairs and maintenance facilities to enhance operational availability of Nigerian Navy platforms towards curtailing maritime crimes that undermine the economic prosperity of our great nation.
“Although the Nigerian Navy operates 2 shipbuilding and repair facilities, namely the Naval Shipyard Port Harcourt and Naval Dockyard in Lagos, it is believed that these collaborative efforts to develop the Burutu Port and utilize existing shipyard facility, would act as a force multiplier to the Nigerian Navy in ship maintenance and repairs, particularly in the Central Naval Command area of responsibility”.
‘This would further enhance securing the maritime domain as well as protection of critical maritime assets therein. Certainly, the dockyard would be leveraged towards building needed platforms including barges and small craft”, he added.
The CNS thereafter appreciated
President Muhammadu Buhari for empowering the Nigerian Navy towards the actualization of its constitutional mandate, and both ministers of Defence and Transport for their support and guidance toward ensuring safety and security within the maritime domain.
Chief Kenneth Donye, Chairman of Akema Global Services in his remarks recalled that Burutu Dockyard built by the colonial masters during their early trade mission to the Niger Delta Coast in the early 20th century played a very crucial role in the then lucrative inland waterway transportation that existed upto the late sixties, when inland waterway transportation drastically declined in Nigeria as well as the Burutu dock business.
“The partnership with the Navy is to revive this dock, by upgrading and modernizing the facilities to handle modern maritime challenges, especially in the preparation of the take-off of the Regional Sealink Inland Water Cargo Transportation, which will greatly help in the movement of bulk cargo from Nigeria’s hinterland resulting in a boost of our country’s non-oil export, especially for solid mineral and agricultural exports.
He commended the Chief of Naval Staff for approving the partnership, which Includes the establishment of both Naval and Commercial Logistic bases, saying Burutu, will help boost security in the area, as well as increase the shipping and other maritime activities for both the oil and non-oil industries.
“This will also Improve the lives of several communities within the Niger Delta Region, Eastern Region, and the Northern Region, from where most of these bulk cargoes will be transported through the naturally gifted Rivers Niger and Benue Inland Water Channels,” he said.
“What gladdens me most in this partnership, is the Naval security architecture that will be put to bear in these areas of operation. This will help de-stigmatize Burutu and environ as a security-prone area and help attract both local and foreign investors to unlock the investment potentials of this area, which will ultimately translate to wealth creation for both the people and the nation at large.
“This partnership is expected to help revive commercial activity along the rivers Niger and Benue axis, by producing specialized barges, best suited for our river transportation for bulk cargo, against the current trend, where all goods are conveyed majorly through our dilapidated roads and inadequate rail systems.
“It will also help put activity on the several moribund inland and dry ports located in the Northern and Eastern parts of the Country, thus increasing economic activities in these areas. The partnership will help boost the commercial shipping activity of Burutu seaport and other Delta cluster ports.
“While the Navy will be having a 10 Hectares Naval Logistic base, donated by the host community, for their internal use, there will be an additional 50 Hectares Commercial Logistic base to be jointly owned by this partnership which includes the host community, that will help boost commercial businesses and safety within this area of operation.
This icing of this relationship is that the Nigerian Navy is being transformed from not just a maritime security outfit, but to an economic enhancer that provides facilities that help boost commercial activities within their maritime operational zone.”
He commended the efforts of both the Nexim Bank and Sealink towards operationalization of the relationship noting that, “The business advocacy of the Sealink Consortium generated the need for construction of specialized river crafts and barges that will convey hitherto locked bulk cargoes in the hinterland for export.
Also speaking at the signing ceremony, the Managing Director of NEXIM, Nigerian Export-Import Bank, Alhajii Abba Bello disclosed that the bank got involved in maritime activities in a bid to expand the Maritime logistics infrastructure to drive trade and commerce hence its support for the surveying and charting of the nation’s rivers, as well as boost maritime security.
Reiterating that the project required huge capital investments to see its actualization, Alhaji Bello disclosed that NEXIM bank has signed an MoU with AFRI-EXIM bank for a $400million loan facility for the purpose of providing Port Infrastructural Development and other needed infrastructure for the waterways.
The Group Chief Executive of Naval Holdings Limited, Rear Admiral Sirilander Lassa, signed the MoU on behalf Nigerian Navy while Chief Kenneth Donye signed on behalf of Akewa Global Services.
Analyses
National Single Window: Paper on glass(6)
Monday Discourse with Nasiru Ibrahim
The deployment of digital software portals across Nigeria’s maritime gateways has created a dangerous sense of administrative accomplishment.
On paper, policy declarations boast of automated workflows and modern interfaces designed to ease the cost of doing business. On the ground, however, the reality remains stubbornly archaic.
If the presidency and the newly minted National Single Window team believe that true automation begins and ends with front-end digital software portals like the new B’Odogwu Customs System, they are falling for an expensive trap.
True technological transformation cannot simply mean scanning old bureaucracies onto a computer screen. Cosmetic digitization does not eradicate systemic corruption; it merely moves the extortion from the physical Port gate onto a digital dashboard.
The structural flaw undermining our current modernization drive is the “scanned paper” reality. Clearing agents are routinely forced to upload digital documents onto unified portals, only to face the absurdity of printing out those exact same files to present them physically at various Port commands.
This duplication completely defeats the purpose of an automated gateway.
True single window success requires the total legal abolition of physical paper documentation within the Port perimeter.
We must transition from an era of “paper-on-glass” to pure, untampered digital data flows. A digital portal is utterly useless if the data it processes is still manually verified, delayed, or altered by human gatekeepers behind the scenes.
To break this cycle, the system must shift from human discretion to algorithmic risk profiling. We must enforce a machine-driven risk engine that automatically routes cargo through green, yellow, or red channels based entirely on hard data and compliance history.
Under this framework, once a container profile passes automated risk evaluation, an individual officer should not possess the arbitrary power to flag it for a manual “re-examination.”
Unauthorized human interventions on automated system routing must be treated as institutional sabotage and criminalized accordingly. Removing human delays from the logistics chain requires stripping human actors of the capacity to stall.
Furthermore, we must aggressively implement a single wallet mandate to clean up the financial architecture of our Ports. A true single window platform must consolidate all customs duties, agency fees, and terminal charges into one single electronic transaction.
This eradication of multi-layered payment checkpoints will instantly dry up the illicit cash demands that fuel the multi-billion-naira demurrage trap.
By deploying automated escrow systems, the central portal can instantly distribute revenues to the respective agency accounts—be it the Nigeria Customs Service, NPA, or NIMASA—only after automated cargo release metrics are met.
The ultimate structural shift, however, requires moving the entire national Port philosophy beyond the physical gate.
Top-tier maritime capitals like Singapore and Rotterdam do not stall their economies by interrogating cargo at the wharf; they rely on Post-Clearance Audits (PCA).
Nigeria must transition to a system where cargo is released instantly within a guaranteed 24-hour window based on automated risk profiles, while reserving heavy verification for robust, off-site corporate audits later.
Until we replace cosmetic upgrades with this level of raw process re-engineering, our software portals remain empty promises. True automation is not a software purchase; it is an uncompromising institutional discipline.
Chief Ibrahim Nasiru, a public affairs analyst, writes from Abuja
Headlines
Oyetola presents three-year score card as blue economy industry revenue hits ₦1.83trn
Funso OLOJO, Editor
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has declared that Nigeria’s maritime sector has undergone a far-reaching transformation in the three years since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu created the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in August 2023.
Oyetola, while presenting the Ministry’s three-year scorecard, said the administration had made significant progress in unlocking the economic potential of Nigeria’s 853-kilometre coastline and extensive inland waterways, with the marine and blue economy increasingly emerging as a major driver of revenue, trade, security and employment.
According to him, the reform programme has produced measurable gains in revenue generation, port infrastructure, maritime security, regulation, indigenous shipping, human-capital development, fisheries and inland-waterway safety.
“At the heart of our mandate is a simple but powerful objective: to turn Nigeria’s vast marine resources into sustainable economic value for Nigerians,” Oyetola said.
Revenue climbs 160 per cent
The Minister identified revenue growth as one of the clearest indicators of the sector’s transformation.
Agencies under the Ministry generated ₦1.83 trillion in 2025, representing a 160 per cent increase over the ₦700.79 billion recorded in 2023.
Oyetola attributed the surge to regulatory reforms, stronger revenue assurance, digitisation and the systematic closure of financial leakages.
He said the improved revenue performance was part of a broader strategy to establish a more transparent, efficient and investment-friendly maritime economy.
Nigeria gets first blue economy policy
A major milestone of the reform programme, according to Oyetola, was the approval in May 2025 of Nigeria’s first National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy.
He said the policy provided, for the first time, a unified framework for developing shipping, fisheries, offshore energy, marine biotechnology and other emerging opportunities within the marine economy.
“This policy gives us a clear roadmap. It provides the predictability and transparency investors need while ensuring that our marine resources are developed sustainably,” he said.
The Minister said the policy would guide government intervention while providing greater certainty for private-sector investment across the marine and blue economy value chain.
Ports undergo major transformation
Port modernisation, Oyetola said, remained at the centre of the Ministry’s transformation agenda.
He said the Federal Government was implementing a comprehensive programme to upgrade major seaports, including Apapa, Tin Can Island, Onne, Rivers, Calabar and Warri.
The programme covers channel improvements, modern cargo-handling infrastructure and increased digitisation of terminal operations, aimed at improving efficiency and enabling Nigerian ports to handle larger volumes of international trade.
The reforms have also attracted international recognition.
The World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence ranked Tin Can Island Port 10th and Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, 12th among the world’s 20 most improved container ports between 2020 and 2025.
Oyetola said government had also made progress in tackling congestion around the Apapa port environment through the electronic truck call-up system, dedicated holding bays and expanded inland barging.
The acquisition of modern tugboats, pilot cutters and dredging equipment by the Nigerian Ports Authority, he added, had further strengthened port operations.
“We have moved from managing congestion to building a port system that can compete globally,” Oyetola said.
He said the Federal Government was also pursuing an expansion of port capacity through deep-seaport projects in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa, Ondo, Lagos and Rivers states.
The operationalisation of inland dry ports, including the Funtua Inland Dry Port in Katsina State, is similarly expected to take cargo-handling and clearance services closer to businesses in the hinterland and reduce pressure on coastal ports.
Regulation, lower costs for port users
The Minister said regulatory reforms had also delivered tangible benefits to businesses operating in the maritime sector.
According to him, the new Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Authority framework will strengthen economic regulation of the port sector, while interventions by the Ministry and its agencies have saved port users more than ₦86 billion in unjustified demurrage.
He added that nearly 300 commercial disputes had been resolved through Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Oyetola said government had introduced measures to eliminate unauthorised shipping charges and strengthen freight and foreign-exchange verification in an effort to reduce leakages and curb capital flight.
He said the objective was to create a maritime business environment where legitimate operators could compete on a level playing field while Nigerian businesses were protected from avoidable costs.
Maritime security records major gains
Improved port efficiency, Oyetola said, had been accompanied by significant gains in maritime security.
Nigeria has maintained zero piracy in its territorial waters for four consecutive years, according to the Minister, with maritime security assets deployed under the Deep Blue Project helping to secure the country’s waters.
He said the achievement had eliminated costly piracy-related surcharges on vessels calling at Nigerian ports while strengthening Nigeria’s reputation as a safer maritime corridor.
Nigeria also regained its seat on the International Maritime Organization Category C Council in November 2025, following a 14-year absence.
Through the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, the country also secured the lifting of the 12-year United States Coast Guard Condition of Entry restrictions affecting vessels arriving from Nigerian ports.
“These achievements demonstrate that Nigeria is not only reforming its maritime sector at home; we are reclaiming our rightful voice and influence internationally,” Oyetola said.
Indigenous shipping gets renewed attention
Oyetola said the Federal Government remained committed to increasing Nigerian participation in the shipping industry.
He disclosed that plans were at an advanced stage to revive a national shipping carrier through a public-private partnership, while the long-awaited process for disbursing the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) had commenced.
The fund, he said, would enable Nigerian shipowners to acquire modern vessels and strengthen indigenous capacity.
“We cannot build a truly blue economy if Nigerians remain spectators in their own maritime industry,” he said.
Human-capital development has also received increased attention, with seafarer training and sea-time placements expanded to create more opportunities for Nigerians seeking careers at sea.
According to Oyetola, the interventions have contributed to an increase of more than 80 per cent in average seafarer earnings.
He added that the Ministry, through the Nigeria Port Economic Regulatory Agency, facilitated a ₦200,000 monthly minimum wage for maritime and shipping workers.
Blue economy expands beyond ports
Oyetola said the Ministry’s transformation agenda extends beyond shipping and ports to fisheries, inland waterways, marine safety and environmental sustainability.
He said the Ministry supported the Federal Government’s Naira-for-Crude policy by streamlining marine logistics for domestic refineries.
On inland waterways, safety interventions have included the distribution of thousands of lifejackets and plans to replace unsafe wooden boats with modern fibreglass vessels.
The fisheries sector, he said, recorded further growth, with fish production reaching 1.4 million metric tonnes in 2025.
Nigeria also achieved 100 per cent compliance with Turtle Excluder Device requirements among inspected commercial shrimp trawlers, helping to protect marine biodiversity and preserve access to international markets.
Oyetola said the interventions reflected the Ministry’s broader philosophy that economic development and environmental sustainability should reinforce rather than undermine each other.
Digitisation and new institutions
Institutional reform has also featured prominently in the Ministry’s three-year programme.
Oyetola said the Ministry had digitised its internal operations through an Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability.
He also disclosed that the Ministry helped resolve a 16-year impasse that paved the way for the operationalisation of the Regional Maritime Development Bank (RMDB) in Nigeria.
According to him, the development would improve access to financing for businesses and projects across the maritime value chain.
Foundation for the next phase
Oyetola said the achievements recorded over the past three years should be regarded as the foundation for a much larger economic opportunity.
He said the ultimate objective was to establish a maritime ecosystem in which efficient ports support trade, stronger security attracts shipping, Nigerian businesses capture a greater share of the maritime value chain, coastal and inland communities benefit from new economic opportunities, and marine resources are developed sustainably.
According to him, the combination of rising revenues, a new national policy framework, port modernisation, improved maritime security, stronger regulation, investment in human capital and renewed international engagement had placed Nigeria’s marine and blue economy on a stronger trajectory.
“The blue economy is no longer an untapped frontier. It is becoming a major engine of national prosperity, regional competitiveness and sustainable growth,” Oyetola said.
Headlines
NIHOTOUR promotes culinary, cultural exchange at Nigeria-China food festival
Gloria Odion, Reporter
The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), in collaboration with the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria, has used the 2026 Nigeria-China Food Festival to promote culinary diplomacy, cultural exchange and stronger people-to-people relations between the two countries.
The festival, held on August 27 at the China Cultural Centre in Abuja, was themed “From Farm to Feast” and formed part of activities marking 55 years of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and China.
The event brought together more than 200 participants, including hospitality professionals, chefs, tourism stakeholders, government officials, diplomats, entrepreneurs and cultural practitioners from both countries.
A major attraction of the festival was the presentation of 14 Chinese dishes representing seven regions of China alongside 12 Nigerian dishes reflecting the country’s six geopolitical zones.
The diverse selection offered guests an opportunity to experience the distinctive ingredients, preparation techniques and culinary traditions of both countries while learning about the communities and cultures behind the food.
For NIHOTOUR, the festival also served as a platform to showcase Nigerian cuisine as an important component of the country’s tourism proposition and draw attention to the wide range of people and enterprises that make up the food and hospitality value chain.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NIHOTOUR, Aare Abisoye Fagade, reaffirmed the Institute’s commitment to developing the skills and human capacity needed to strengthen Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism industry.
Fagade said such initiatives could help create opportunities for young people, professionals and entrepreneurs while promoting Nigeria’s rich culinary heritage to domestic and international audiences.
The theme, “From Farm to Feast,” also highlighted the extensive value chain behind every meal—from farmers and food producers to processors, chefs, hospitality operators and businesses that ultimately serve consumers.
NIHOTOUR used the occasion to emphasise the tourism potential embedded in Nigeria’s diverse culinary traditions. Each of the country’s six geopolitical zones has distinctive dishes, ingredients and methods of preparation that can be developed into authentic cultural and tourism experiences.
The Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nigeria, Mr. Zhou Hongyou, underscored the importance of food in promoting cross-cultural understanding and strengthening people-to-people relations.
Also in attendance was the Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy and Director of the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria, Mr. Yang Jianxing.
Their participation reinforced the role of cultural diplomacy in deepening the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and China.
Beyond the food presentations, the festival featured cultural activities and opportunities for interaction between Nigerian and Chinese participants. It also opened avenues for potential collaboration in hospitality, tourism, culinary training, cultural exchange and enterprise development.
The event comes at a significant point in Nigeria-China relations, with both countries commemorating 55 years of diplomatic ties. While bilateral relations have expanded into areas such as trade, investment, infrastructure and education, cultural initiatives provide an important avenue for strengthening the relationship at the people-to-people level.
NIHOTOUR said it would continue to pursue partnerships capable of advancing Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism sector, strengthening professional capacity, supporting enterprise development and creating opportunities across the tourism value chain.
Through initiatives such as the Nigeria-China Food Festival, the Institute is positioning food and hospitality not only as avenues for economic development but also as powerful instruments of cultural diplomacy and international engagement.
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