Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has launched its Management Information System (MIS) File Tracker at the Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) Area Command, using the command as the pilot location for the new digital initiative.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, described the deployment as part of the Service’s commitment to deepening the use of technology to improve personnel administration and enhance the speed and efficiency of document processing.

Represented at the launch by the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of ICT/Modernisation, DCC Oluyomi Adebakin, the CGC said the initiative marks another milestone in the Service’s expanding modernisation agenda, which is focused on deploying digital solutions to improve operational efficiency, strengthen transparency and facilitate seamless trade.

Adebakin reaffirmed the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to leveraging technology to transform its operations and improve service delivery.

She noted that, as the architect of several landmark digital initiatives, including the Nigeria Trade Portal and the Customs Verification Management System, the deployment of the MIS File Tracker further demonstrates the Service’s resolve to embrace innovation in line with global best practices.

According to her, the introduction of the MIS File Tracker will further consolidate PTML Command’s reputation as a hub of innovation within the Service through features designed to simplify administrative processes and improve efficiency.

She explained that the MIS is an enterprise-wide platform for Customs administrative processes, serving as a Single Sign-On (SSO) application that enables a unified data set to be accessed and utilised across all departments.

Adebakin urged officers to maximise the platform for key administrative functions, including leave and pass applications, file tracking, duty roster management, internal staff orders, nominal roll management and other administrative processes.

She added that the platform also provides channels for users to submit feedback on areas requiring modifications, additional features and further improvements.

She said the deployment is expected to streamline internal workflows, reduce reliance on manual processes and support data-driven decision-making across the Service.

PTML Area Command, widely regarded as one of the most technologically advanced commands in the Nigeria Customs Service, has consistently served as the pilot location for several digital transformation projects, including the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS), also known as B’Odogwu.

Speaking at the event, the Acting Controller of PTML Area Command, Deputy Comptroller Nura Miko, expressed confidence in the command’s ability to successfully implement the new system and serve as a model for Customs innovation nationwide.

Miko said the command is fully committed to maximising all technology-driven trade facilitation initiatives introduced by the Customs management.

He thanked the Comptroller-General for his confidence in the command’s capacity to deliver and disclosed that efforts are underway to reduce the cargo clearance time for compliant Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) cargoes from the current two hours to just one hour.

Describing the MIS File Tracker as another bold step in the Service’s digital transformation journey, Miko pledged that the PTML Area Command would justify the confidence reposed in it by ensuring the successful implementation of the system from the pilot phase through full deployment.

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has pledged to strengthen its partnership with the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) to enhance safety and reduce the incidence of boat accidents across the country’s inland waterways.

The commitment was made by the Acting Managing Director of NIWA, Malam Umar Yusuf Girei, when he received the Director-General of NSIB, Captain Alex Sabundu Badeh Jnr., during a courtesy visit to the NIWA headquarters in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Tuesday, July 21st, 2026.

Girei said the renewed collaboration would focus on information sharing, joint operations and closer institutional cooperation aimed at addressing the persistent challenge of boat mishaps on Nigeria’s waterways.

He stressed that effective collaboration among relevant agencies is essential to improving navigation safety and protecting lives and property.

“NIWA is dedicated to strengthening partnerships with sister agencies to improve safety standards and enforce regulations for safer water transportation in Nigeria,” he said.

The Acting Managing Director assured the NSIB of NIWA’s readiness to provide relevant information, technical expertise and operational support to facilitate prompt investigation of marine incidents and the implementation of preventive measures to minimise future accidents.

In his remarks, the Director-General of NSIB, Captain Alex Sabundu Badeh Jnr., said the visit was intended to reinforce the existing relationship between the two agencies and identify new areas of collaboration in accident investigation, data sharing and the promotion of safety standards.

The meeting underscores the growing efforts by both agencies to improve safety oversight on Nigeria’s inland waterways amid recurring boat accidents, with greater emphasis on coordinated investigations, information exchange and proactive measures to prevent future tragedies.

Gloria Odion, Maritime Reporter

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has called on Nigeria’s judiciary to prepare for a new wave of complex maritime disputes arising from autonomous vessels, digital shipping systems and the global transition to cleaner maritime transport.

Oyetola said the rapid evolution of maritime technology is creating unprecedented legal challenges relating to liability, navigational responsibility, insurance, collision regulations and the allocation of responsibility when autonomous ships or their systems fail.

The Minister made the call while delivering the keynote address at the opening of the 18th International Maritime Seminar for Judges, jointly organised by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) and the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja on Wednesday, July 22nd, 2026.

He noted that the increasing digitalisation of global shipping through electronic bills of lading, blockchain-enabled cargo documentation and digital freight contracts is reshaping international commerce while raising fresh evidentiary, contractual and jurisdictional questions.

“The prospect of vessels operating with limited or no human crews raises fundamental questions concerning liability, navigational responsibility, insurance, collision regulations, and the allocation of legal responsibility when technology fails,” Oyetola said.

He added that the growing international drive towards maritime decarbonisation and environmental sustainability would also generate more disputes over environmental liability, pollution damage, regulatory enforcement and compliance with evolving international standards.

According to him, judges handling such matters must combine sound legal reasoning with scientific understanding and an appreciation of emerging international maritime jurisprudence.

Oyetola stressed that an efficient and predictable system for resolving maritime disputes through litigation and arbitration is critical to positioning Nigeria as Africa’s leading maritime hub.

“Every judgment delivered in a maritime matter sends a powerful message—not only to the litigants before the court, but also to international investors, shipowners, financiers, insurers, cargo interests and seafarers across the world,” he said.

“A predictable, well-reasoned and internationally informed judiciary is itself an instrument of economic competitiveness.

“It lowers transaction costs, enhances commercial confidence, encourages parties to choose Nigerian courts and arbitration centres, and reinforces Nigeria’s reputation as a credible destination for maritime investment.”

The Minister disclosed that the Federal Government would continue to strengthen specialised maritime divisions within the Federal High Court, align domestic legislation with current international maritime conventions and promote alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, particularly maritime arbitration.

He described judicial excellence as a strategic economic asset, saying investments in judicial capacity are investments in Nigeria’s future competitiveness within the global maritime economy.

Highlighting recent achievements in the sector, Oyetola said the Federal Government had secured a £746 million financing agreement with the United Kingdom for the modernisation of the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports.

He also revealed that the long-awaited disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) would enable Nigerian shipowners to acquire vessels, expand participation in coastal shipping and create an estimated 30,000 jobs.

According to him, Nigeria has now recorded four consecutive years without piracy in its territorial waters through the Deep Blue Project, while maritime agencies collectively generated more than ₦1.8 trillion in 2025.

He also noted that domestic fish production has increased from about 1.1 million metric tonnes to 1.4 million metric tonnes.

The Minister observed that the continued expansion of offshore renewable energy, aquaculture, seabed resources, coastal tourism and other blue economy sectors would inevitably lead to more disputes involving investors, regulators, host communities and commercial operators.

“The marine and blue economy cannot flourish in a legal vacuum,” Oyetola stated, adding that Nigeria needs courts with “the courage to uphold the rule of law, the wisdom to balance the legitimate interests of commerce with the demands of justice, and the expertise to interpret and apply increasingly sophisticated international maritime legal instruments.”

Speaking as Chairman of the occasion, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, underscored the strategic importance of the maritime sector to Nigeria’s economy and called for the speedy dispensation of admiralty justice.

He warned that delays in resolving maritime disputes could negatively affect trade, shipping, investment, port operations and the broader economy, stressing that timely dispute resolution is essential to sustaining investor confidence and enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness as a regional maritime hub.

Akume also urged government agencies to work collaboratively rather than in isolation, noting that the complex nature of the marine and blue economy demands effective inter-agency coordination.

He assured participants of the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening cooperation among relevant institutions to improve trade facilitation, port efficiency and maritime operations.

Declaring the seminar open, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, described the maritime sector as a critical driver of international trade, economic growth, employment and national revenue.

She emphasised that maritime disputes are often complex, time-sensitive and cross-border in nature, warning that delays in adjudication can disrupt commercial activities, increase costs and undermine investor confidence.

The Chief Justice called for a responsive, efficient and specialised admiralty justice system capable of resolving maritime disputes promptly, while also stressing the importance of cross-border judicial cooperation given the inherently international character of maritime commerce.

She described the seminar as an important platform for knowledge sharing, professional engagement and strengthening institutional capacity in maritime law.
Also speaking, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, represented by the Deputy Chief Whip, Hon. Ibrahim Ayokunle Isiaka, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to providing the legislative framework necessary for the growth of Nigeria’s maritime sector.

He noted that disruptions in maritime trade have far-reaching consequences for supply chains, industrial production, prices of goods and overall economic growth, assuring participants that the House would continue to enact relevant legislation and exercise effective oversight to support the sector.

The seminar attracted Chief Justices from The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia and Sierra Leone, alongside Justices of Nigeria’s Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, Federal and State High Court Judges, legal scholars, arbitrators and maritime law practitioners.
The three-day seminar runs from July 22 to July 24, 2026, in Abuja.