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Oyetola indulges in self- praise at MARAN event 

– calls for delistment of Nigeria from war risk zone
Funso OLOJO
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy,Adegboyega Oyetola, has insisted that the maritime industry has witnessed bold and unprecedented reforms which have repositioned the sector for rapid growth.
Oyetola, who declared open the annual Maritime industry lecture organized by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria(MARAN),stated that with the giant steps recorded within the two years of his stewardship as the minister, Nigeria deserves to be removed from the war risk classification by the international cartel of shipping companies.
Represented by his media aide, Dr Bolaji Akinola, Oyetola launched into a labyrinth of his achievements in the last two years that should earn Nigeria a clear bill of health by the foreign shipping companies which have continued to charge War risk insurance premium on Nigerian Shippers.
“In just two years and with the guidance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we have embarked on bold and unprecedented initiatives to harness our nation’s vast maritime and Blue economy resources as engine of growth, just and sustainable development.
” In two years, the ministry has become a case study in what visionary leadership, strategic focus and political will can achieve in record time.
“From restoring sanity to Nigeria’s busiest seaports to unlocking long- frozen funds for indigenous ship owners, from investing in human capital to spearheading Continental maritime financing architecture , the ministry has delivered and will continue to deliver transformation on a scale that is monumental and measurable” the minister declared.
Oyetola further noted that the government had ended the decades-long Apapa gridlock that had crippled port productivity and discouraged foreign investment.
He also pointed to the launch of Africa’s first National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, a groundbreaking framework that provides a roadmap for shipping, fisheries, offshore energy, aquaculture, tourism, and maritime services.
The Minister also announced that the Federal Executive Council had approved the modernisation of Lagos and Tin Can Island Ports, with plans for the Eastern Ports nearing completion.
According to the Minister, agency-generated revenues more than doubled within two years, from ₦700.79 billion in 2023 to ₦1.39 trillion in 2024, the highest in Nigeria’s maritime history.
He added that the long-stalled Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund had finally been unlocked to empower indigenous shipowners, while a National Flag Carrier Technical Committee had been inaugurated to deliver a private-sector-led national shipping line that would restore Nigeria’s pride in global shipping.
Oyetola further pointed to progress in boosting local fish production to strengthen food security, supporting aquaculture in riverine communities, and reforming inland waterway safety through new regulations, improved patrols, search and rescue coordination, and stricter passenger vessel standards.
Despite these achievements, Oyetola lamented that Nigeria continues to bear the burden of war risk insurance premiums imposed by international underwriters.
He observed that these charges, based on outdated perceptions of insecurity, have cost the nation an estimated $1.5 billion in the last few years.
The Minister stressed that Nigeria’s narrative of piracy and armed robbery on its waters no longer reflects present realities.
Over the past four years, he said, the country has recorded zero piracy incidents due to sustained investments in maritime security, particularly through the Deep Blue Project.
The Deep Blue Project, implemented by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in partnership with the Nigerian Navy, integrates air, land, and sea assets to deliver real-time surveillance and interdiction.
 The success of this initiative has been acknowledged globally, earning Nigeria commendations from the International Maritime Organization, the International Maritime Bureau, and removal from the International Bargaining Forum’s list of high-risk nations.
Yet, Oyetola explained, key global insurers, especially Lloyd’s of London, remain reluctant to update their risk classifications, leaving Nigeria and its consumers to shoulder unfair costs.
He assured industry stakeholders that his Ministry, working closely with NIMASA, is engaging directly with BIMCO, the International Chamber of Shipping, and Lloyd’s, presenting empirical data to demonstrate Nigeria’s security progress.
Alongside this diplomatic push, he said the government would continue to strengthen maritime security architecture, publish regular security reports, deepen regional cooperation under the Yaoundé Architecture for Maritime Security, and promote the development of local maritime insurance to retain value within Nigeria’s economy.
The Minister concluded his address on a note of optimism, declaring that the future of Nigeria’s blue economy remains bright.
He emphasised that in just two years, the country has shown what is possible with vision, determination, and partnership, but added that much more lies ahead.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to securing Nigeria’s waters, modernising its ports, empowering local operators, expanding fisheries, and ensuring that the blue economy becomes a pillar of growth, jobs, and sustainability for generations to come.
Formally declaring the lecture open, Oyetola urged participants to contribute their recommendations, which he said would enrich government policy and strengthen strategies for the collective advancement of Nigeria’s maritime sector.
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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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