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Why Nigeria still pays war risk insurance charges despite zero incident of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea – MASPAN

Emmanuel Maiguwa
Funso OLOJO 
Importers in West African countries, especially Nigeria, have continued to pay huge war risk insurance premiums on their cargo despite the zero piracy incident in the Gulf of Guinea because of the complicated issues of drug and human trafficking incidents that usually lead to the detention of vessels and payment of huge penalties by arrested vessel owners.
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The Chairman, AMANO/ MASPAN Planning Committee, Mr. Emmanuel Maiguwa made this clarification during a press conference held at the secretariat of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) on Friday, August 16th, 2024.
Maiguwa, who was speaking towards the preparation of an international summit on drug and human trafficking on board ships slated for this Thursday, August 22nd, 2024 in Lagos, said that the delay suffered by vessels involved in incidents of drug and human trafficking with the attendant huge cost of penalty paid by ship owners have made international shipping cartels to continue to impose war risk charges despite the degradation of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has shouted itself hoarse on the need for foreign insurance companies to remove the vexed war risk premium slammed on Nigeria-bound vessels following the zero incident of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, has fingered the international shipping cartel behind this imposition and enlisted the support of Chatham House in London to escalate this issue at the United Nations Security Council in order to force the hand of the cartel to stop the imposition.
However, Maiguwa has provided a critical insight into how shipowners and importers lose millions of dollars to complicated drug trafficking and stowaway investigations in countries without adequate legal frameworks to deal with such cases on time.
He noted that a ship can be detained for several weeks or months while investigating to determine the source and suspects in a case of drug discovery in the ship when it calls at a port.
Similarly, according to him, investigating the country of origin of stowaways discovered in a ship could be herculean, requiring the detention of an affected vessel for several weeks and leading to huge losses in time and money.
These losses incurred by shipowners are shared or passed wholly to the Importers who are users of the shipowners’ services.
MASPAN is convinced that this is part of the reasons importers in West African countries, including Nigeria continue to pay billions of dollars annually as war risk charges even when the countries are peaceful and with no incidents of piracy recorded in the Gulf of Guinea in the last two years.
Also, MASPAN explained that seafarers are not willing to work in countries without legal clarity as to how to deal with drug and stowaway discoveries on a ship as complications from these cases could mean harsh realities for them.
It is in light of the forgoing that MASPAN and the Alumni of Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron (AMANO) are bringing shipping industry stakeholders and relevant drug regulatory agencies together to brainstorm on Nigeria’s capacity to handle drug trafficking and stowaway investigations within the shortest possible time-frame.
Chairman of the summit planning committee, Emmanuel Maiguwa said: “If we have a scenario where drugs have been discovered in a ship, the regulatory agency would have to detain the ship for investigations.
” That process will take a very long time and during that process, a ship will have to foot the cost and other administrative costs.
“So ships will always be afraid to do business in countries where they are likely to be detained for too long when this happens.
“This is what we want to bring to the knowledge of the industry and find a solution that allows the country to handle these issues within a short time.
“We are working with the incidents provided by countries where this type of matters are handled and cleared within 24 hours.
“The maritime summit on Drug Smuggling and Human Trafficking by Ship will be chaired by the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, who has been mandated to chart the course for the new ministry by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at Eko hotels, Thursday, August 22, 2024, by 10 am”
He encouraged maritime stakeholders with interest to contact the summit’s planning committee to register for the event which is scheduled to hold at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos on August 22, 2024.
Expressing concerns over such incidents, Maiguwa, who is Chief Executive Officer, Bricks Limited, a maritime security firm, disclosed that ships have been detained for several months while their crew were placed on trial and forced to remain without seeing their families for several years in cases of drug smuggling.
Maiguwa continued: “On the part of Human Trafficking, cases of stowaways, especially in Lagos ports, have continued to cause delays to vessels when they are found before vessel departure.
” Cases, where discoveries were not made before departure, have continued to burden shipowners because of the very complex administrative protocols involved in handling stowaways on ships.
“Having considered the disruption, these activities can pose to shipping operations, increased cost, the trauma it could have on seafarers, and how counterproductive it could be to a maritime country like Nigeria that is struggling to realize the potential of her “blue economy”, we have come together to bring stakeholders to discuss these issues with a goal to arriving at a solution that serves the industry.
“The goal is to align with critical agencies in making sure that drug and human smuggling and trafficking in the maritime domain are reduced, if not eradicated, with perpetrators penalized in a way innocent parties are not made to pay the price, and the industry is not deprived of its growth potentials.”
At the end of this conference, we hope that stakeholders will arrive at workable solutions and mandate a working group to ensure the actualization of the resolutions reached.
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Analyses

The invisible toll gates:Why National Single Window is Nigeria’s ultimate economic battleground

Monday Discourse with  Ibrahim Nasiru
Walk into any market in Nigeria today, from the commercial hubs of Lagos to the roadside stalls in Yola, and ask why a bag of rice or an imported spare part costs three times what it did last year.
The typical public commentator will blame global inflation, floating currencies, or macro-economic shocks.
But those who understand logistics know the real truth lies buried under layers of paper, manual stamps, and artificial delays at our seaports.
Nigeria’s international trade is suffocating not from a lack of deep water, but from a deliberate design of convenience.
The recent operational rollout of the National Single Window (NSW) has triggered behind-the-scenes panic among Port cartels, and for good reason.
For decades, keeping our clearing processes fragmented, manual, and dependent on desk-to-desk human interaction was the perfect business model for syndicates.
When cargo dwell times drag on for 21 days, those delays are money in the pockets of the gatekeepers and a death sentence for local businesses.
Let us look at the raw field realities. The push by the Nigeria Customs Service to aggressively crash clearance times down to global 48-hour standards is meeting fierce internal resistance.
Why? Because a unified digital ecosystem means you cannot easily manipulate documentation, hide illicit cargo, or demand “mobilization fees” before signing off a container.
The outcry and protests from certain freight-forwarding syndicates aren’t about technical glitches; they are about the sudden closure of invisible toll gates.
This is exactly why governance at our national gateways can no longer be left to the mercy of transactional bureaucratic habits.
Building deep-sea infrastructure like Lekki Port is a massive physical achievement, but concrete and cranes are useless if the administrative processes at the gate remain backward.
 Real structural reform requires turning our Ports into automated, friction-free pipelines that prioritize production over rent-seeking.
If Nigeria wants to survive this fiscal squeeze, the National Single Window cannot just be treated as another glossy IT project launched in Abuja.
 It requires unyielding administrative enforcement to completely dismantle the corrupt cartels managing the manual desk chains.
The invisible toll gates at our Ports must be completely demolished, and that exact same structural discipline must be scaled across our border stations and trade corridors.
The era of managing international trade with 20th-century paper trails is dying. The future belongs to the builders of automated, transparent systems.
Chief Ibrahim Nasiru, a public affairs analyst,  writes from Abuja 
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Headlines

NANTA Exco embarks on seven-day Ghana retreat, fam trip to deepen regional tourism partnership

Gloria Odion, Reporter

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) has commenced a seven-day executive retreat and familiarisation (fam) trip to Ghana, hosted by Safari World, as part of efforts to strengthen regional tourism partnerships and expand cross-border travel opportunities.

The NANTA delegation was received at Safari World Homes in Accra by the Chairman of the Safari World Group, Mr. Ernest Gyekye, who expressed delight at hosting the Nigerian travel trade leaders.

He assured the delegation of a memorable experience throughout their week-long stay.

Speaking on the significance of the visit, NANTA President, Mr. Yinka Folami, described the retreat and familiarisation tour as a strategic initiative aimed at fostering stronger business relationships and promoting collaborative tourism development across Africa.

“This mission is not a leisure trip,” Folami said. “It is a deliberate step to implement and expand our association’s marketing advocacy for Nigerian brands across borders.”

He noted that Nigeria and Ghana share deep historical, cultural and commercial ties that should be leveraged to drive tourism growth on the continent.

“Nigeria and Ghana share history, culture, trade and people. The future of our tourism cannot be built in silos,” he said.

“This retreat is about moving from policy to practice—creating real products, real partnerships and real movement of travellers between Accra and Lagos.”

As part of the programme, the NANTA executives will engage in strategic business-to-business (B2B) meetings with their Ghanaian counterparts, tour key tourism destinations under the Safari World brand, and participate in cultural exchange activities designed to promote stronger bilateral tourism cooperation.

The itinerary spans Safari World’s three flagship destinations, including Safari Homes in Accra, the Aqua Safari riverfront experience, Safari Island Cruise, Safari Nautica, and Safari Recreation and Sports facilities in Ada, as well as the Safari Valley Eco Resort and Safari Eco Park in Dawu.

Operating under the brand promise, “One World, Three Destinations, Over 20 Unique Experiences,” Safari World is leveraging the visit to strengthen its footprint in the Nigerian travel market while positioning Ghana as a premier destination for leisure tourism, conferences, group travel, family holidays and premium tourism experiences.

A major highlight of the visit will be the Executive Dinner scheduled for July 21 at the Safari Valley Eco Resort, where key stakeholders from Nigeria and Ghana’s tourism industries will deliberate on strategies for deepening travel trade and advancing regional tourism development.

The familiarisation tour is expected to provide NANTA’s leadership with first-hand knowledge of Safari World’s tourism offerings, paving the way for the development of attractive travel packages and stronger business partnerships that will benefit Nigerian travellers and the wider West African tourism industry.

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Customs

Ogun Customs spurns claims of Smugglers’ takeover of Idiroko–Sango Ota trading Route

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has dismissed as false reports alleging that smugglers had taken over the Idiroko–Sango Ota trading route in Ogun State, describing the claims as a deliberate misrepresentation of a traffic incident.
In a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs (SC) Chado, the Command clarified that the traffic gridlock on the route resulted from the breakdown of an articulated commercial trailer after it fell into a badly deteriorated section of Atan Road, temporarily obstructing the free flow of traffic.
According to the Command, the vehicles caught in the ensuing congestion were legitimate commercial trucks transporting red palm oil to various local markets and had no connection whatsoever with smuggling activities.
It explained that the large number of heavy-duty trucks trapped in the gridlock may have led some members of the public to wrongly conclude that smugglers had taken over the road.
“The reports that smugglers blocked the road are inaccurate. The disruption resulted from a road accident and poor road conditions. The vehicles involved were lawful commercial vehicles transporting red palm oil for legitimate trade,” Chado stated.
The Command urged journalists, social media users and the general public to verify information before disseminating reports capable of creating unnecessary panic or undermining public confidence in security agencies.
Observers within the border trade sector noted that the allegation does not reflect the prevailing security situation within the Ogun I Area Command, where anti-smuggling operations have been intensified under the leadership of the Acting Customs Area Controller, Comptroller O.O. Afeni.
Since assuming office, Comptroller Afeni has strengthened intelligence-driven surveillance, enhanced collaboration with other security agencies and host communities, and sustained pressure on economic saboteurs operating along the Ogun border corridors.
These measures, according to stakeholders, have resulted in significant seizures of prohibited goods and reinforced the Command’s resolve to safeguard Nigeria’s economy and territorial integrity.
Maritime and border trade stakeholders also cautioned against the spread of unverified information capable of undermining the efforts of security personnel or creating a false impression of lawlessness in border communities.
They stressed that while combating smuggling remains an ongoing responsibility, responsible and accurate reporting is equally critical to ensuring that operational achievements are not overshadowed by misinformation.
The Ogun I Area Command reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining its anti-smuggling campaign while facilitating legitimate cross-border trade in line with the statutory mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service.

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