Headlines

Denmark furious as pirates attack its vessel in Gulf of Guinea

.—- calls for concerted efforts to check menace

——launches manhunts for hijacked vessel

The eyewitness reporter with agency report

Denmark has expressed shock and anger at the attack on its product tanker by pirates.

Months of relative calm in the Gulf of Guinea came to an end on March 25th/26th when an unknown number of pirates boarded a product tanker, tentatively identified as the Monjasa Reformer (IMO 9255878), when it was off the coast of DR Congo, near Point Noire.

Accounts ranged between three and five armed boarders, from a single skiff.

French and UK monitoring agency Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG) issued a sequence of warnings advising mariners to avoid the area offshore near the southern border of Congo and Angola.

The AIS of the Monjasa Reformer remained off. The crew was reported to have mustered in the citadel.

Details on the incident remain scarce, but both MDAT-GoG and private security agencies are reporting that pirates approached and successfully boarded the tanker overnight between March 25th and March 26th, with the AIS going off at about midnight.

MDAT-GoG said that a rescue effort was being mounted for the crew.

The tanker was believed to have been laying off the coast, having departed the port several days ago. The last reported position was approximately 140nm west of Port Point Noire.

2003-built, Liberia-flagged, 8,829 gt Monjasa Reformer is owned by Monjasa Chartering III DMC care of Monjasa DMCC of Dubai, UAE. No recent AIS since March 22nd.

But Denmark has called for more action on piracy as the hunt continues for the hijacked product tanker

There are renewed calls for attention and further action on the piracy problem in West Africa in the wake of this week’s ongoing hijacking of a product tanker off Congo.

Danske Rederier, the Danish shipping trade and employer organization, issued a statement saying that the current attack “unfortunately shows with all clarity that the problems with piracy in West Africa are far from solved.”

The group said it is working with the relevant authorities and Monjasa as the vessel’s owner to resolve the situation and get the seafarers home safely.

The organization said while none of the seafarers aboard the product tanker are Danish, its thoughts go out to seafarers and their families, while also calling for continued focus on problems with piracy in the region.

This comes as the authorities and the shipowner are still attempting to make contact with the pirates that boarded the Monjasa Reformer on March 25.

The French and British-operated Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG) continues to ask for the assistance of vessels in the area to report possible sightings of the product tanker.

They confirmed a report from yesterday that placed the Monjasa Reformer 470 nautical miles to the west-northwest of its original position which was 140 nautical miles off the coast of DR Congo after having departed from Port Pointe-Noire.

“The current situation clearly shows that most countries in the region do not have the necessary resources or capacities to respond to such an incident,” said Anne Steffensen, Director General and CEO of Danske Rederier.

“Since the piracy problem in West Africa has not been solved, we have to find other solutions.”

The organization is calling for considering what contributions Denmark can send to the region to increase training or surveillance after the country withdrew its frigate from the Gulf of Guinea at the start of the war in Ukraine.

Steffensen highlights that there are naval vessels from several countries in the area, including a number of European countries.

She is calling for the EU countries in particular to coordinate their presence to a much greater extent to increase coverage across the region.

Denmark’s calls for more coordinated and consistent actions in the Gulf of Guinea mirror the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB), which in its annual report also highlighted the need for sustained efforts to maintain the progress seen in 2022.

Saying that incidents had dropped to just 19 reports in 2022, they reiterated that the danger remained and that there was a need to maintain security efforts in the region.

Montec Ship Management immediately alerted the authorities when it learned of the ongoing incident. They said they are working with all relevant maritime authorities in the region, including several local and international navies.

MDAT-GoG also reiterated its warnings to mariners advising them to remain clear of the areas where the product tanker has been spotted while also asking for reports of sightings of the black-hulled vessel or any suspicious activity in the Gulf of Guinea.

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.

Headlines

Alake of Egbaland identifies with NANTA @50 celebration at Ibadan

Alake of Egbaland identifies with NANTA @50 celebration at Ibadan

Geraldine Samuel

The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, has assured the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) of his royal presence at the association’s Golden Jubilee celebration and Annual General Meeting scheduled to hold in Ibadan, Oyo State, in April.

The revered monarch gave the assurance on Thursday, March14th, 2026 when he received members of the NANTA AGM Planning Committee, led by Mrs. Lola Adewole, at the Ake Palace in Abeokuta.

Oba Gbadebo commended the association for its resilience and unity over the past five decades, noting that sustaining a professional body for 50 years reflects commitment, strong leadership, and shared vision among its members.

He also prayed for the continued growth and impactful contributions of the association to Nigeria’s cultural tourism sector.

According to the monarch, NANTA has consistently promoted Nigerian culture and the travel trade industry, earning an exemplary status that other professional associations and groups should emulate.

The Alake further assured the delegation that he would personally attend and grace the anniversary event, adding that Egbaland and Ibadan share deep historical, cultural, and traditional ties.

Earlier, the leader of the NANTA delegation, Mrs. Lola Adewole, who was accompanied by the association’s Second National Deputy President, Dr. Tokunbo Dagunduro, and Financial Secretary, Mr. Yinka Ladipo, informed the monarch that NANTA has always promoted Nigeria’s cultural tourism offerings as a vital national asset.

She explained that the association views the country’s cultural heritage as a gold mine that must be preserved and harnessed for Nigeria’s economic and social development.

Adewole noted that the theme of the association’s 50th anniversary celebration, “Embracing Our Diverse Cultural Heritage from the City of Firsts: Redefining Our Role as Global Ambassadors,” reflects NANTA’s commitment to supporting and promoting Nigeria’s cultural tourism economy.

As part of activities ahead of the anniversary celebration, the NANTA team also visited the Ogun State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Hon. Sesan Fagbayi, to formally invite him to the Ibadan conference.

During the visit, the delegation highlighted the rich cultural heritage of Ogun State and its importance to national tourism development and economic growth.

Meanwhile, the association, through its National President, Dr. Yinka Folami, has congratulated the newly appointed Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Olatunji Rilwan Disu, on his appointment.

In a letter dated March 9, acknowledged by the police authorities, Folami pledged the association’s willingness to collaborate with the Nigeria Police Force in addressing fraudulent activities within the travel trade sector.

The NANTA president also formally invited the Inspector-General to the association’s elective Annual General Meeting in Ibadan in April, noting that the gathering would provide an opportunity for the police chief to interact with travel trade professionals on ways to promote a secure and globally compliant travel industry in Nigeria.

Headlines

NSW will not subsume B’Odogwu Customs trade platform — Fakolade

Gloria Odion

Tola Fakolade, the Director of Nigeria National Single Window Project has stated that the celebrated National Single Window project which first phase is due for official roll out in March,27th, 2026 is not a substitute for the Customs trade platform commonly called B’Odogwu, neither will the presidential initiative subsume the Customs platform.

Fakolade make this clarification against the rising fears that the multi- million dollar indigenous platform created by the Customs to enhance its operations and meant to replace the previous foreign – created portal, will be jettisoned at the berth of NSW.

However, he further clarified that the NSW will operate alongside the B’Odogwu Customs Management System, describing the two platforms as complementary.

“The B’Odogwu system handles core Customs processes such as valuation and risk management, while the National Single Window serves as the single-entry portal for traders to submit documents and applications for approvals,” he said.

Fakolade also declared that NSW will not replace any government agency involved in trade facilitation but will instead integrate their processes to eliminate duplication and improve efficiency.

He explained that the system is designed to ensure that once a release is issued by the Nigeria Customs Service, it would already reflect the risk assessment and compliance requirements of other port-related regulatory agencies.

According to him, key trade agencies were involved from the early stages of the project, with each nominating technical representatives who contributed to the development of the platform.

He noted that the system has already identified and addressed several duplicated processes that previously slowed cargo clearance and added no value to port operations.

Fakolade also disclosed that extensive training has been ongoing for over a month for end-users including importers, exporters, freight forwarders and officials of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

He added that training sessions are being conducted physically at designated centres that accommodate between 30 and 50 participants, while additional learning resources and explanatory videos have been made available online.

Fakolade added that when the platform goes live on March 27, 2026, initial services will include applications for import licences, certificates and permits for agencies such as Standards Organisation of Nigeria, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service and National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, as well as manifest submissions by shipping lines and airlines.

Meanwhile, Princess Chi Ezeh, Vice President (Seaports) of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), commended the committee driving the NSW Nigeria for recognising freight forwarders as critical stakeholders in the reform initiative aimed at improving trade facilitation in the country.

Ezeh noted that the decision to engage freight forwarders during the awareness and consultation stages of the project demonstrates that the implementation team understands the strategic role operators play in Nigeria’s port and logistics ecosystem.

She added that during the engagement sessions, freight forwarders were able to highlight some operational challenges they face at the ports, which the project team assured would be addressed.

She expressed optimism ahead of the planned launch of the National Single Window, urging the implementation team to ensure that the system is properly structured to enhance trade facilitation rather than create additional delays in cargo clearance processes.

Also speaking, the Chairman of APFFLON Tincan Chapter, Alhaji Akeem Ayobiojo, assured that freight forwarders would play their part in ensuring the success of the initiative by submitting accurate documentation and complying with the required procedures.

He stressed that transparency and professionalism from operators are essential to achieving the project’s goal of reducing cost, saving time and improving efficiency in Nigeria’s port operations.