Headlines

NPA moves against extortion rings, illegal checkpoints on Lagos port access roads

– rallies police, truckers, freight forwarders to clear man-made barriers choking cargo movement

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has launched a coordinated offensive against the web of illegal checkpoints, extortion points and inter-agency clashes that have for years strangled cargo evacuation along the Apapa and Tin Can port corridors.

In what appears to be one of the strongest institutional pushes yet to dismantle the human-made bottlenecks crippling port logistics, the Authority said it has secured commitments from security agencies, freight forwarders, truck owners and transport regulators to flush out illegal operators and restore sanity to the port access roads.

Speaking at a high-level stakeholders’ meeting convened by the NPA in Lagos on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, Managing Director of the Authority, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, said the agency had identified extortion points, operational distortions and jurisdictional overlaps among security agencies as key factors frustrating seamless cargo movement from the nation’s busiest ports.

According to him, the problems are not limited to the immediate port gates, but extend deep into the wider logistics corridor, including Berger and Mile 2, where traffic disruptions, harassment of truckers and illegal enforcement activities have continued to undermine port efficiency.

“We have problems along the port corridor in Apapa and Tin Can Island. Now, we have established that there are issues around extortion along the corridor. That is outside the port,” Dantsoho said.

He also pointed to jurisdictional rivalry among security agencies as a major source of confusion and abuse on the corridor.

“The second issue is overlap- jurisdictional overlap. In our system, what is established is that there is a police command for the port system, Maritime Police, and then there is also the Lagos State Police Command. So, in some instances, there are clashes, overlaps,” he stated.

Dantsoho, however, said the meeting produced far-reaching resolutions aimed at ending the chaos and improving coordination among all actors operating within the port corridor ecosystem.

In a major breakthrough, he disclosed that both the Maritime Police and the Lagos State Police Command distanced themselves from the illegal checkpoints and roadblocks mounted along the corridor, denying ever authorising such deployments.

“We have achieved a great lot of success in our discussions. The AIG Maritime Police has clearly stated that they do not send anybody to go and form roadblocks or checkpoints on the corridor.

“Equally, the Lagos Police Command has said the same thing,” he said.

The NPA boss described the development as a critical step toward dismantling a long-standing regime of delays, harassment and extortion that has inflicted huge costs on importers, exporters and haulage operators.

He added that all relevant agencies, including security institutions, freight forwarding groups and government bodies — had now agreed to work more closely to improve efficiency and strengthen the competitiveness of Nigerian ports against rival ports in the sub-region.

“Our emphasis will be that we are going to function, and then function better in our practices, so we can do better than our neighboring countries,” Dantsoho said.

He further revealed that Nigeria’s port operations within the terminals had already begun earning global recognition, noting that the country’s port system had recently been ranked among the most improved in the world by the World Bank.

Dantsoho expressed confidence that the resolutions reached at the meeting would significantly ease congestion and accelerate cargo movement along the Apapa and Tin Can corridors.

“I want to thank you for coming to support us. We have achieved a great success from this meeting.

“The discussions were of high quality, and the outcome, I believe, is also high quality,” he added.

Also speaking at the meeting, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Maritime, AIG Okunade Ronke, flatly denied allegations that the police officially deploy officers to checkpoints on Lagos port access roads, warning that any officer extorting truckers under that guise is acting outside the law.

She said the stakeholders’ engagement was productive and had produced a consensus on a coordinated framework to tackle the chronic traffic and enforcement challenges plaguing the port corridors.

According to her, stakeholders agreed to set up a joint task force involving the Lagos State Government, the NPA, the police and other key agencies to improve traffic management, eliminate extortion and ensure smoother cargo operations around Apapa and Tin Can Island.

“We have never posted officers to any checkpoint around the port environment,” she said, stressing that any officer claiming deployment from Zone 2 or the Maritime Police to mount checkpoints should be reported for disciplinary action.

Okunade said the proposed collaborative framework would also help reduce the recurring jurisdictional conflicts that have complicated enforcement and weakened accountability on the corridor.

Stakeholders at the meeting, including representatives of the NPA and the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), welcomed the initiative, describing it as a long-overdue response to the extortion, harassment and operational disruptions that have become routine on the port access roads.

They agreed that a broader committee would be constituted to include government agencies, freight forwarders and transport operators, with a clear mandate to drive sustained monitoring, enforcement and compliance.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation also underscored the need for stronger inter-agency collaboration, saying the port corridor crisis goes beyond traffic management and touches on security, regulation and enforcement across multiple authorities.

He noted that although illegal operators are sometimes arrested and prosecuted, only sustained cooperation among stakeholders can deliver a permanent solution to the persistent dysfunction around the Lagos port corridors.

At the end of the meeting, participants expressed optimism that the new coordinated approach would curb extortion, reduce congestion and improve the overall efficiency and security of cargo movement in and out of the nation’s premier ports.

Headlines

NIMASA flaunts automation process of Nigerian ship registry at 2- day webinar with stakeholders

Funso OLOJO Editor

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) will host a two-part stakeholder webinar on October 6 and 8, 2026, to showcase the ongoing automation of the Nigerian Ship Registry as part of efforts to modernise ship registration services and enhance the competitiveness of the Nigerian flag.

The webinars will provide shipowners, operators, maritime professionals, financial institutions, insurers and other stakeholders with insights into the new digital registration platform and its potential to significantly improve the speed, transparency and efficiency of ship registration and related services.

The automated system is designed to enable 24/7 access to registration services, streamline application and approval processes, and facilitate faster issuance of electronic certificates, thereby reducing administrative delays associated with conventional paper-based procedures.

A key feature of the platform is its capacity to provide secure, real-time tracking of ship mortgages and related registry transactions. This will strengthen transparency and provide greater visibility for stakeholders, including financial institutions and other parties involved in vessel financing.

The automation initiative is also expected to make interaction with the Nigerian Ship Registry more seamless for local and international shipowners, while improving the Agency’s ability to deliver efficient, responsive and globally competitive flag-state services.

Speaking on the initiative, the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, said the automation of the Ship Registry was part of the Agency’s broader commitment to transforming the Nigerian flag and creating an enabling environment for increased participation in the global shipping industry.

“The automation of the Nigerian Ship Registry represents a significant step in our commitment to providing efficient, transparent and globally competitive services to shipowners and other maritime stakeholders.

“Our objective is to make the Nigerian flag more accessible, responsive and attractive through technology-driven processes that meet international standards,” Mobereola declared.

The ongoing user-testing phase is focused on validating the platform’s functionality, security and user experience ahead of its official deployment.

NIMASA said the webinars would also provide an opportunity for stakeholders to understand the platform, experience its key features and provide feedback as the Agency moves towards full implementation.

The Agency is inviting shipowners, ship managers, maritime professionals, financial institutions, insurers, legal practitioners, classification societies and other interested stakeholders to participate in the webinars.

Headlines

NRC joins global community to celebrate customers’ loyalty

Funso OLOJO, Editor

For the first time in its 128 years of existence, the Nigerian Railway Corporation(NRC) joins the global community to commemorate 2026 Customer Service Week from October 5 to 9, with a renewed commitment to putting passengers at the centre of its operations.

The week, being celebrated under the theme, “The Extra Mile,” marks a significant milestone for the 128-year-old Corporation, which is observing Customer Service Week for the first time in its history.

For the NRC, the celebration goes beyond appreciating its passengers. It is also an opportunity to recognise employees who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to service delivery while reinforcing a culture of customer-centricity across the Corporation.

The initiative is in line with the vision of the Managing Director of the NRC, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, who has consistently emphasised the need to place passengers at the heart of the Corporation’s operations and improve their overall travel experience.

Opeifa said the experiences of the Corporation in recent times had further underscored the importance of listening to customers and responding more effectively to their needs.

“Customers are at the heart of everything we do. Their feedback, trust and partnership challenge us to keep improving and delivering value every day.

“Customer Service Week is an opportunity to recognise that relationship and remind ourselves that great service must go beyond expectations,” he said.

According to the NRC, the theme, “The Extra Mile,” reflects the changing expectations of modern train passengers and the need for service providers to go beyond routine obligations.

Going the extra mile, the Corporation noted, could mean listening more attentively to passengers, resolving complaints more quickly, providing clearer and timely information, anticipating customer needs, simplifying processes or demonstrating empathy when it matters most.

The NRC said the commitment would apply across all its operational areas nationwide, with emphasis on providing passengers with a consistent, responsive and dependable experience regardless of where or how they interact with the Corporation.

The Corporation also pledged to strengthen its customer-feedback mechanisms and establish a closer link between passenger insights and continuous improvements in service delivery.

It said its objective was to ensure that exceptional customer service becomes an everyday practice rather than an activity reserved for Customer Service Week.

“Every interaction presents an opportunity to listen better, respond faster, show genuine care and create greater value for our customers,” the Corporation stated.

For the NRC, therefore, “The Extra Mile” is more than a theme for a week-long celebration. It represents a commitment to making every passenger interaction count and ensuring that customers enjoy a safer, more responsive and rewarding experience throughout their journey on Nigerian trains.

Commentaries

Our Oceans, Our Wealth: The real benefits of new fishing port

Monday Discourse with Nasiru Ibrahim

Nigeria has a very long coastline, but we have ignored our oceans for decades. Our major sea gateways, from Apapa to Port Harcourt, are mostly built to handle crude oil exports and heavy manufacturing containers.

Meanwhile, the local fishing industry—which has the capacity to feed the entire nation and create vast wealth—has been left to survive entirely on its own.

This is why the recent announcement by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, makes a lot of sense.

Speaking through a representative at the National Conference on Sustainable Fishing in Lagos, the NPA boss stated that Nigeria plans to build a specialized fishing port to finally harness the true value of our ocean resources.

As the country tries to grow its marine and blue economy, this move is completely long overdue.

For a very long time, Nigeria has suffered from an intense oil blindness, focusing all investments on petroleum while ignoring the massive economic potential floating right on our waters.

Right now, our deep seas are teeming with valuable fish, but because we lack proper docks, specialized marine structures, and secure landing sites for large fishing vessels, foreign ships enter our territory and steal our marine resources every single year.

A dedicated fishing port will change this entirely. It will give our local operators and commercial fishing trawlers a safe, modern, and legally protected base to harvest, dock, and process their catch.

Instead of letting foreign poachers dominate our waters, a specialized port ensures that Nigeria profits directly from its own geographical blessings.

We cannot talk about maritime infrastructure without looking at the kitchen table, especially since the average Nigerian family is facing a massive food crisis.

Severe inflation has turned basic proteins like fish and beef into luxury items that ordinary people can no longer afford.

A specialized fishing port will help fix this supply chain problem. The NPA’s plan involves creating dedicated fish terminals equipped with modern cold-room facilities, meaning local fishermen can preserve their catch immediately without it spoiling on the high seas.

When fish can be safely stored and transported into local markets without rotting, the overall supply goes up. When supply goes up, the price goes down, helping ordinary citizens put affordable protein back on their dining tables.

Furthermore, a modern fishing port is much more than just a place to park boats; it is a full-scale industrial business hub.

Building a specialized facility will spark immediate economic activity along our coastlines, naturally attracting seafood processing factories, boat repair yards, ice-making companies, and specialized transport networks.

This infrastructure will create thousands of genuine jobs for young people, refrigeration technicians, boat mechanics, and market women who dominate the local seafood trade. It bridges the gap between rural, traditional fishing and modern, industrial maritime commerce, bringing life back to struggling coastal communities.

The NPA has presented a great vision, and using a Public-Private Partnership model to fund it is a smart strategy.

But as Nigerians, we know our main problem is never a shortage of good plans—it is making those plans actually happen on the ground.

If this fishing port is going to transform our economy, the government must move quickly from conference papers to physical construction. We need to see real investments start on our coastlines.

Utilizing our ocean resources is one of the smartest ways to build a country that does not rely solely on oil. It is time to stop looking at our waters as just shipping lanes, and start treating them as the goldmines they really are.

Ibrahim Nasiru, a public affairs analyst, writes from Abuja.