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House committee keeps Shippers’ Council, maritime stakeholders guessing as it postpones public hearing on Nigerian Shipping bill

Funso Olojo 
The House of Representatives Committee on Ports and Harbours has postponed indefinitely the much anticipated public hearing on the bill seeking to transmute the Nigerian Shippers’Council to the Nigerian Shipping and Port Economic Regulatory Agency.
The hearing, originally scheduled for May 27th, 2024 at the conference hearing room 034, has been shifted to a later date by the management of the House.
 
In a letter of postponement, dated May 24th, 2024 and addressed to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Gboyega Oyetola, the Clerk of the House Committee, Delupe Abiodun Suraj, said the shift in the date was informed by the engagement of the House in another national assignment titled “National Discuss on Nigeria’s Security Challenges and Good Governance at the Local Government Level slated for Monday 27 May 2014 by 10 am at Abuja Continental.
“I am directed by the Honourable Chairman of the House Committee on Ports and Harbour to inform you to discountenance the invitation to attend Monday, 27 May 2024, Public Hearing of the Joint Committees on Shipping Services, Port and Maritime Safety and Administration in the House of Representatives

“This decision was informed due to the House programme titled “National Discourse: Nigeria’s Security Challenges and Good Governance at the Local Government Level slated for Monday, 27 May 2024 by 10 am at Abuja Continental Hotel.

” A new date shall be communicated to you in due course.

“However, the Committee wishes to reiterate its leadership position in the comity of House Committees on Marine and Blue Economy sector pursuant to Order (B108) (21) of the Standing Order House of Representatives (Eleventh Edition ) Attached)”

Industry stakeholders of different shades of opinion over the bill have geared up towards the cancelled public hearing to ventilate their positions, depending on the divide of the debate they belong.
While a group called Maritime Advocacy Foundation has expressed its reservations and opposition against the bill, another self-styled Marine and Blue economy integrity group, has thrown its weight behind the bill.
The Nigerian Shippers’Council, the direct beneficiary of the bill, has since mobilised fully towards the postponed public hearing with its Executive Secretary and CEO, Barr. Akutah Ukeyima, leading the pack.
However, the sudden postponement of the hearing on the bill has triggered a waiting game for the proponents and opponents of the legislative process, giving them enough time to deepen their strategies and legislative lobbying towards achieving their objectives.

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Headlines

Tantita gifts military 15 gun boats to enhance security surveillance on Nigeria’s waters 

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter 
 In a bid to further decapitate the capacity of pirates and armed robbers  at  sea, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, has donated 15 sophisticated and high- caliber gun boats to Nigerian Armed Forces.
Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited is a private security company headquartered in Effurun, Delta State, specializing in protecting Nigeria’s vital oil and gas infrastructure through pipeline protection, paramilitary escort, and advanced surveillance operations.
The commissioning ceremony took place at the Nigerian Navy Boatyard in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, May 14th, 2026.
The company handed over seven gun boats to the Nigeria Army while the Nigeria Navy got eight gun boats.
The vessels are expected to enhance joint operations against oil theft, piracy, and other maritime crimes in the Niger Delta and coastal waters.
The event featured military officials, representatives of Tantita Security Services, and dignitaries from Rivers State government.
The commissioning underscored the importance of public-private collaboration in safeguarding Nigeria’s waterways.
Officials emphasized that the deployment of these gun boats will strengthen surveillance, rapid response, and deterrence against criminal activities threatening national economic assets.
Nigeria’s maritime domain has long been vulnerable to illegal bunkering, smuggling, and piracy.
By equipping both the Army and Navy with modern gun boats, Tantita Security Services aims to reinforce the military’s operational readiness and ensure safer navigation for commercial and civilian vessels.
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Headlines

APMT pledges fresh $600m investment to boost terminal operations at Apapa port.

Funso OLOJO,  Editor
The APM Terminals has pledged a fresh investment portfolio of $600m to shore up its terminal operations at the Apapa Port.
The Dutch company operates the largest container terminals in the West African sub- regional at Apapa port.
The Regional President, APM Terminals Africa-Europe, Igor van den Essen, disclosed this when he led other executives, including Head of Investments, APM Terminals, Martijn Van Dongen, and CEO, APM Terminals Nigeria, Frederik Klinke, to meet with President Tinubu on the sidelines of the ongoing Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda.
Igor van den Essen said the proposed investments will be deployed in Apapa port modernisation, logistics infrastructure, and long-term private-sector investment in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
President Tinubu welcomed the investments, emphasising that Nigeria is repositioning itself for greater competitiveness through ongoing economic reforms and infrastructure modernisation.
He said the country is determined to move beyond structural bottlenecks and outdated systems, stressing the need for advanced technology, faster cargo processing, and improved operational efficiency across the nation’s ports.
He emphasised that Nigeria possesses the market scale, talent base, and economic potential to support globally competitive maritime and logistics infrastructure investments and called on other investors to take advantage of Nigeria’s reform outcomes.
Earlier, Igor van den Essen lauded President Tinubu’s reform agenda and policy direction, which had strengthened investor confidence and created renewed momentum for long-term infrastructure investments.
He described Nigeria as a strategic stronghold within its African operations, referencing over 20 years of collaboration and substantial existing investments in the country’s port ecosystem.
He reaffirmed his company’s commitment to expanding investments in Nigeria and disclosed plans to support the development of world-class terminal infrastructure and technology-driven port operations.
He also commended President Tinubu for establishing the National Single Window (NSW), which has streamlined trade procedures, improved Customs coordination, and reduced delays in cargo clearance.
In another meeting with Winme Group executives, President Bola Tinubu called for deeper investment partnerships to unlock Nigeria’s opportunities in logistics, mining, shipping, and integrated infrastructure development.
He stressed the need for integrated investments linking ports, transport systems, processing facilities, and export infrastructure to drive industrial growth and competitiveness.
The delegation expressed confidence in Nigeria’s long-term investment potential, having closely followed President Tinubu’s reforms.
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Customs

At UNILORIN conference, Adeniyi advocates for human- driven technology for balanced developmental efforts

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter 
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‎The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has reaffirmed the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to responsible digital transformation and innovation driven governance during his keynote address at the 4th Biennial International Conference organised by the Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences, University of Ilorin, in collaboration with the Faculty of Philology, RUDN University, Russia.
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‎The conference, themed “Disruptive Technology: Human and Artificial Intelligence in the Digital Economy,” was held on Wednesday, 13 May 2026, at the University of Ilorin Main Auditorium.
The event attracted academics, communication experts, technology professionals, researchers, policymakers, and heads of government agencies to deliberate on the growing influence of digital innovation and artificial intelligence on governance, education, trade, and economic development.
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‎In his address, CGC Adeniyi stressed the importance of balancing technological advancement with human responsibility, noting that the future of the digital economy depends not only on artificial intelligence but also on ethics, leadership, and institutional capacity.
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‎“The digital age is, in the end, a human story, and the real test of our generation is not how powerful our machines become, but how wisely our societies choose to use them,” Adeniyi stated.
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‎He observed that disruptive technologies such as digital payments, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and smart systems have already reshaped global operations, adding that the world is no longer preparing for disruption but actively functioning within it.
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‎According to him, government institutions must ensure that technological innovation strengthens transparency, public trust, and operational efficiency without compromising accountability.
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‎Drawing from the Nigeria Customs Service’s experience, the CGC highlighted ongoing digital transformation initiatives, particularly the deployment of the B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System, which has significantly improved trade facilitation, cargo processing, and inter-agency collaboration.
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‎He disclosed that the platform generated over N230 billion at the PTML Command within its first eight months of deployment, while cargo clearance timelines for compliant traders have been reduced to less than eight hours.
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‎“The partnership, not the rivalry, between human and artificial intelligence is where the real value lies,” he said, adding that technology delivers optimal results when guided by strong institutional values and ethical standards.
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‎Adeniyi further noted that although artificial intelligence enhances efficiency, risk management, and decision-making, human expertise and leadership remain indispensable to effective governance and enforcement.
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‎“Technology changes processes  leadership and expertise still deliver the results,” he added.
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‎The CGC also called for stronger collaboration among universities, research institutions, and public agencies to develop practical solutions to emerging digital and governance challenges.
He urged academic institutions to move beyond theoretical learning and play a more active role in innovation and policy development.
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‎He identified areas where academia can support Customs modernisation efforts, including digital compliance systems, AI-driven risk management, public trust communication strategies, and the governance of cross border data flows.
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‎Adeniyi further advocated for the development of digital governance frameworks tailored to African realities, legal systems, and developmental priorities, emphasising that technological advancement must remain accountable to the people it serves.
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‎On the sidelines of the conference,the CGC engaged with heads of government agencies, scholars, communication professionals, traditional rulers, and institutional leaders on opportunities for collaboration in digital innovation, research, community development, and capacity building.
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