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Oyetola leads top government dignitaries to  award ceremony of Oyebamiji as most media- friendly maritime CEO

Gloria Odion, Maritime Reporter 
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, Mukhtari Shehu Shagari, the Chairman of Board of Directors of Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and other high ranking government officials and stakeholders will converge in Abuja on Tuesday, February 10th, 2026 to felicitate with Asiwaju Bola Oyebamiji, the immediate past Managing Director of NIWA as he was being celebrated by the coalition of maritime journalists as the most media- friendly maritime CEO.
The award ceremony, themed “The Making of Oyebamiji,” is meant to recognize the contributions of Oyebamiji to the welfare and professional well being of maritime journalists while he was in office.
An appreciable number of the Coalition of Maritime Journalists are also expected to attend.
During his tenure in office, Oyebamiji distinguished himself as a reform-minded administrator with an uncommon appreciation of the media as strategic partners in sector development.
His leadership was defined by openness, accessibility, and institutional respect for journalists, setting a new benchmark for regulator–media engagement within the maritime industry.
A major highlight of his relationship with the press is his deliberate focus on journalists’ welfare and professionalism.
 Under his watch, NIWA has enhanced the media work environment by providing operational tools, institutional support, and access frameworks that enable reporters to function effectively and responsibly across the inland waterways space.
Beyond office engagement, Oyebamiji had consistently supported media tours of NIWA operational areas, giving journalists first-hand exposure to water transport infrastructure, safety operations, channel management, and regulatory activities.
These tours have helped deepen reporters’ understanding of inland waterways administration, ensuring that industry narratives are driven by facts, field experience, and informed analysis.
Veteran maritime Journalist and Chairman of the Coalition, Frank Meke, in a reflection on Oyebamiji’s leadership style, noted that the NIWA boss “does not see the media as an enemy, but as a partner in national development.”
 Refreshing that position, Meke observed that Oyebamiji’s openness has “rebuilt confidence between regulators and reporters, allowing professionalism and access to information to define maritime reporting.”
According to him, the NIWA CEO has created an atmosphere where journalists are treated as stakeholders whose engagement strengthens safety, accountability, and policy implementation on Nigeria’s inland waterways.
The Abuja ceremony is being described as an A-list maritime industry event and strategically significant, as it becomes the first major sectoral gathering since the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
 Stakeholders believe the event will help consolidate collaboration between government, operators, regulators, and the maritime press under the new ministry’s emerging policy direction.
With policymakers, industry leaders, and the media community in attendance ,the presentation of the “Most Media Friendly Maritime CEO” Award to Oyebamiji is expected to go beyond celebration, serving as a statement of alignment between transparent leadership and the future of Nigeria’s Marine and Blue Economy.
As anticipation builds, the maritime industry views the event as recognition not only of Oyebamiji’s leadership, but also of the growing importance of the media in shaping a safer, more accountable, and economically viable inland waterways sector.
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Aviation

FAAN resumes toll collection at Airports, adopts hybrid payment method 

Gloria Odion, Reporter
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) have resumed collection of toll at all its toll plazas located at the airports in the country, including Murtalar Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.
The toll suspension arose from the chaos which the new cashless payment method introduced by FAAN recently generated which resulted in long queues of motorists at these facilities.
This development has raised public outcry which necessitated the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who directed the suspension of the cashless payment system.
However, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed the resumption of toll collection at all these plazas.
In a press statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, the Minister declared that a hybrid access gate payment should be adopted by FAAN at the toll gates located at the Airports in the country.
“Following the earlier suspension of the full cashless Access Gate payment system as directed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu due to the traffic gridlock it created, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development met with officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and senior officials of the Ministry.
“After reviewing the initial implementation and the operational challenges observed, the following decisions were reached:
” The Ministry has resolved to engage concessionaires in order to introduce a fully automated or electronic system at all access gates at our airports in order to fully and eventually eliminate cash payments.
” In the meantime, a hybrid payment system that accommodates both cash and card payments will resume at all airport access gates with effect from Friday, March 13, 2026.
” Motorists who already possess FAAN Go Cashless Cards may continue to use them until further notice.
“Other electronic payment options, including POS terminals and other approved digital channels, will also remain available.
“Members of the public and road users are encouraged to obtain and use the FAAN Go Cashless Card as the Authority continues to enhance and fully optimise the cashless payment system.
“This directive restores the previous access  gate payment arrangement whilst the Ministry continues to work on the fully automated or electronic system” the statement concluded.
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NPA shines as Outstanding Agency of the Year 2025 at Champions newspaper Awards ceremony 

Funso OLOJO,  Editor 
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has won another award as the Outstanding Agency of the Year 2025 conferred on the agency by Champions Newspaper at its 2025 Awards ceremony held in Lagos.
Receiving the award on behalf of the Managing Director of the Authority, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, described the award as recognition of Danthoso  vigorous leadership in implementing smart initiatives that align with the NPA’s vision to become the Maritime Logistics Hub for Sustainable Port Services in Africa.
The NPA MD highlighted the invaluable support of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, which he said has been instrumental in achieving these remarkable successes.
According Dantsoho, some of the key remarkable performances of NPA include sustained port efficiencies, which contributed  to Nigeria’s year-on-year trade surplus of ₦7.5 trillion and ₦6.7 trillion in Q2 and Q3 2025 (per NBS and NESG reports), driven mainly by exports via NPA platforms.
He also mentioned the successful execution of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policy for crude and petroleum product sales in Naira, saving billions in FOREX, enhancing energy security, improving trade balance, and creating jobs.
Others include completion of Nigeria’s membership in the International Port Community System Association (IPCSA), paving the way for the National Single Window (NSW) project, technical guidance enabling a significant rise in transhipment cargo at Lekki Deep Seaport, serving landlocked neighbours and recovering cargo lost to competing ports.
Another achievement made under the leadership of Danthoso was his electorial victory as the President of the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa (PMAWCA), with Dr. Dantsoho also leading PAPC, boosting Nigeria’s diplomatic standing and securing re-admission to IMO Category C.
Champions Newspaper conferred the award in appreciation of NPA’s pivotal role as a leading trade facilitation platform driving national economic prosperity through Nigeria’s maritime endowments.
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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.
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