Monday Discourse with Ibrahim Nasiru

The ongoing conversation regarding the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) to indigenous shipping owners has taken a dramatic and highly confusing turn.

For over twenty years, local shipowners have looked forward to this fund as the critical lifeline that would finally allow Nigerians to own high-capacity vessels, dominate our own coastal waters, and stop foreign ships from taking over our maritime economy.

But while the bureaucracy delayed, the narrative became deeply fractured.

The maritime industry was recently rocked by a shocking revelation from former NIMASA Director-General ,Temisan Omatseye, at the 2026 Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN) Summit.

Omatseye exposed what he described as a legacy structural error, claiming that dollar receipts collected from local operators were historically swept and converted into Naira by the Accountant-General’s office to chase higher domestic interest rates.

In a swift and aggressive counter-response dated November 1, 2026, the current Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, flatly dismissed the claims.

Mobereola insisted that there has been absolutely no conversion of the dollar-denominated component of the fund, asserting that all USD contributions remain fully intact within the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

This public clash between a former helmsman and the current leadership creates a massive transparency crisis.

In the global maritime industry, shipping assets are priced strictly in US Dollars. If Omatseye’s account of past historical conversion is true, then a massive portion of the fund’s purchasing power has vapourized due to the recent steep devaluation of the Naira.

If Mobereola’s denial is correct, then the full $700 million value remains intact.

To settle this confusion once and for all, the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy must move beyond mere press statements.

The government must immediately open its financial records and publish the certified CBN account balances of the CVFF.

Stakeholders deserve an independent audit, not a war of words.

Meanwhile, the long-awaited application portal launched by the Ministry continues to run straight into a banking brick wall.

Out of nearly a hundred applications, disbursements remain stalled because Primary Lending Institutions (PLIs) are demanding rigid credit terms, strict 15% cash equity, and long-term cargo guarantees.

As leaders within the Nigerian Indigenous Ship-owners Association (NISA) and the Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN) have long lamented, many local shipowners are already heavily indebted, with their existing assets trapped by AMCON.

Demanding heavy cash equity and unachievable bank conditions to access their own contributed funds is simply setting local operators up to fail.

What does this portend for Nigeria?

Foreign vessels will continue to dominate our coastal waters, taking away billions of dollars in freight capital, while our youth lose out on thousands of seafaring jobs.

Minister Adegboyega Oyetola and NIMASA must stop the endless circular arguments. The government must immediately engage genuine indigenous shipowners, simplify the rigid banking rules, and provide full account transparency.

Our blue economy cannot float on a sea of endless delays and conflicting balance sheets. It is time to let Nigerian shipowners see the books, access the funds, and secure our waters.

Ibrahim Nasiru, a public affairs analyst, writes from Abuja 

Gloria Odion, Maritme reporter 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’, has intensified its anti-smuggling operations across the South-West, recording major seizures of illicit drugs and pharmaceutical products valued at N511.4 million and rescuing eight endangered pangolins under the leadership of its Acting Comptroller, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni.

The latest achievements reflect a renewed enforcement strategy anchored on intelligence gathering, strategic patrols and strengthened collaboration with sister security agencies to disrupt smuggling networks and combat transnational organised crime across the region.

Since assuming leadership of the unit, Afeni has intensified efforts to tackle the illegal movement of prohibited goods through major highways, border corridors and waterways, with operations targeting illicit drugs, unapproved pharmaceutical products, endangered wildlife, foreign parboiled rice, frozen poultry products and other prohibited items.

The recent interceptions, particularly the recovery of drugs and pharmaceutical products worth N511.4 million and the rescue of eight live pangolins in two separate operations, underscore the unit’s determination to protect public health, safeguard national security, preserve wildlife and strengthen compliance with Nigeria’s trade regulations.

Beyond the financial value of the seizures, the operations highlight the wider economic, environmental and security consequences of smuggling and the need for sustained enforcement against criminal networks operating across the South-West.

One of the major breakthroughs recorded under Afeni’s leadership was the interception of assorted illicit drugs and pharmaceutical products with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N511.4 million.

The seized items were subsequently handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and necessary regulatory and legal action.

The exhibits included 121 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 65.9 kilogrammes, 100 grammes of crystal methamphetamine, 400 grammes of cocaine, 900 grammes of ground synthetic cannabis, 4.3 kilogrammes of hybrid cannabis and 57 cartons of codeine syrup.

Other items handed over included 86 packs of polythene bags allegedly used to conceal the illicit substances, two vehicles a Toyota Hiace bus and a Toyota Sienna and two male suspects linked to separate interceptions.

According to the unit, one of the operations took place at approximately 1 p.m. on October 10, 2026, when an intelligence led patrol team intercepted a Toyota Hiace bus conveying suspected illicit drugs concealed in polythene bags along the Lagos-Benin Expressway, around Ore, Ondo State.

Following the interception, NDLEA officials conducted further examination and analysis, which confirmed the nature of the substances.

In a separate operation on October 7, 2026, Customs officers intercepted another vehicle along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

A thorough search of the vehicle led to the discovery of 57 cartons of assorted brands of codeine syrup.

The interceptions demonstrate the unit’s commitment to preventing the transportation and distribution of prohibited substances through major commercial routes, where traffickers often conceal illegal consignments among legitimate goods.

Speaking on behalf of Afeni during the handover, the Deputy Comptroller in charge of Enforcement,Oluwaseun Oguntuase, attributed the successes to sustained intelligence driven operations across the unit’s area of responsibility.

He explained that the seizures and subsequent transfer of the exhibits to the relevant agencies reflected the Service’s determination to secure the nation’s borders, protect public health and strengthen national security.

The collaboration with NDLEA and NAFDAC also reinforces the importance of inter-agency cooperation in tackling drug trafficking and the circulation of unapproved pharmaceutical products.

In addition to its operations against drug trafficking and other prohibited imports, FOU Zone ‘A’ has strengthened its efforts to combat illegal wildlife trafficking, recording two separate interceptions that resulted in the rescue of eight live pangolins within approximately 11 days.

The first operation occurred on October 12, 2026, when Customs officers intercepted three live pangolins during an anti-smuggling operation around Oyo Dam, Igbo-Ora, Ogun State.

Acting on credible intelligence, the patrol team discovered the animals concealed inside a sack and a wire mesh cage.

The suspected traffickers reportedly abandoned the consignment and escaped into a nearby swamp upon sighting the officers.

Similarly, in the early hours of October 23, 2026, another patrol team intercepted five additional live pangolins along the Igbo-Ora/Imeko-Afon axis.

The animals were found confined in wire mesh cages and allegedly concealed to evade detection.

The suspects reportedly fled the scene, abandoning the animals as Customs officers moved in.

The two operations highlight the growing enforcement attention being given to illegal wildlife trade and the need to dismantle the networks responsible for trafficking protected species.

Pangolins are among the world’s most trafficked mammals, largely targeted by illegal traders for their scales and meat.

Their international commercial trade is prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which lists all pangolin species under Appendix I.

The rescued animals were handed over to the Greenfingers Wildlife Initiative Centre for safekeeping, rehabilitation and appropriate management, with the possibility of eventual release into a protected natural habitat where feasible.

Speaking during the second handover, Oguntuase, who represented Afeni, stressed the need for comprehensive investigations to identify and dismantle the criminal networks behind the repeated attempts to traffic endangered wildlife.

He reaffirmed the unit’s commitment to intelligence led enforcement, collaboration with conservation organisations and the strict enforcement of relevant laws against illegal wildlife trade.

The repeated interceptions also underscore the importance of identifying the individuals and networks financing, transporting and facilitating the illegal trade, rather than limiting enforcement efforts to recovering abandoned consignments.

Recognising the importance of coordinated security operations in tackling organised crime, Afeni has also intensified engagement with sister security agencies across the South-West.

On October 14, 2026, the Acting Comptroller commenced a familiarization tour of security and law enforcement agencies in Lagos State as part of efforts to strengthen institutional relationships and improve cooperation in intelligence sharing, information exchange and joint enforcement operations.

The agencies visited included the Lagos State Police Command, Department of State Services (DSS), Headquarters of the Nigerian Army’s 81 Division, the NDLEA Lagos State Strategic Command, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Army’s 9 Brigade in Ikeja.

During the engagements, Afeni emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among security institutions to effectively address smuggling, cross-border criminal activities and other threats to national security.

At the Lagos State Police Command, where he was received by the Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, Afeni noted that the Customs Service’s responsibilities extended beyond border protection and required sustained cooperation with other security agencies.

He expressed concern that the approaching election period could create opportunities for criminal elements to exploit heightened political activities and engage in illegal operations capable of threatening public peace.

“We know that crime rates often increase as the country approaches the election period, as some people may attempt to take advantage of the period to perpetrate illicit activities capable of causing crises during the elections. Therefore, we are here to call for closer synergy so that these bad elements do not have their way.”

Afeni maintained that no security agency could effectively confront complex criminal activities in isolation, stressing that regular intelligence sharing and coordinated operations remained essential to achieving lasting security outcomes.

In his response, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police welcomed the initiative and described the relationship between the police and other security agencies in the state as strong and productive, despite the security challenges associated with Lagos’s large population and complex operating environment.

At the Nigerian Army’s 81 Division Headquarters, the General Officer Commanding, Major General Adebayo Abdulrahman Babalola, also emphasised the importance of joint security operations.

He cautioned against unnecessary administrative bottlenecks that could affect operational efficiency and called for effective coordination among relevant institutions.

The engagements reflect the growing recognition that smuggling networks often operate across multiple jurisdictions, exploiting highways, waterways, border communities and distribution centres to move prohibited goods.

Strengthening institutional cooperation and intelligence exchange is therefore critical to identifying criminal movements, closing security gaps and ensuring timely responses to emerging threats.

The intensified operations by FOU Zone ‘A’ also carry significant economic and public health implications.

Smuggling undermines legitimate businesses by creating unfair competition for compliant importers and traders who fulfil their statutory obligations, including the payment of duties and compliance with regulatory requirements.

Similarly, the illegal movement of narcotics and unapproved pharmaceutical products exposes Nigerians to serious health risks,while wildlife trafficking threatens biodiversity and undermines international conservation efforts.

For the Nigeria Customs Service, effective enforcement therefore requires a balanced approach that prevents prohibited trade while facilitating legitimate commercial activities.

The N511.4 million worth of intercepted drugs and pharmaceutical products represents more than the financial value of the seized items.

It also reflects the potential harm prevented by keeping dangerous substances away from the public.

Likewise, the rescue of eight pangolins demonstrates the Service’s expanding role in environmental protection and the fight against organised wildlife trafficking.

However, the long-term success of these operations will depend on the ability of relevant agencies to conduct effective investigations, secure successful prosecutions and dismantle the networks responsible for the illegal activities.

The escape of suspects during both pangolin interceptions further highlights the need to strengthen intelligence gathering and surveillance to ensure that those behind the illegal trade are identified and brought to justice.

The Acting Comptroller has assured that FOU Zone ‘A’ will sustain its enforcement operations, intelligence driven patrols and strategic partnerships with relevant security and regulatory agencies across its area of responsibility.

His approach centres on strengthening intelligence gathering, improving inter-agency coordination and maintaining operational pressure on routes frequently exploited by smugglers.

The recent seizures indicate that the unit’s enforcement activities cover multiple categories of prohibited goods, ranging from illicit drugs and unapproved pharmaceutical products to endangered wildlife and other restricted commodities.

Sustaining these achievements, however, will require continuous investment in operational capacity, reliable intelligence networks, effective investigations and stronger engagement with communities along vulnerable smuggling corridors.

Equally important is continued cooperation with regulatory institutions and conservation organisations to ensure that seized products undergo appropriate investigations and rescued wildlife receives adequate care.

As the Nigeria Customs Service continues to discharge its statutory responsibilities, the effectiveness of Afeni’s enforcement strategy will ultimately be measured not only by the volume and value of seizures but also by its ability to dismantle criminal networks, protect public health, preserve biodiversity, safeguard government revenue and create a more secure environment for legitimate trade.

For smugglers operating across the South-West, the message from FOU Zone ‘A’ remains clear: the Service is strengthening its intelligence capacity, intensifying patrols and deepening security partnerships to make the region increasingly hostile to illicit trade.