— as Oyetola vows zero tolerance for poor welfare of seafarers , unveils national carrier plan to boost jobs, sea-time training

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Federal Government has issued a stern warning to shipping companies, crewing agencies and shipowners against the maltreatment of Nigerian seafarers, declaring that any practice that undermines their welfare, safety and dignity will no longer be tolerated.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, delivered the warning at the 2026 Day of the Seafarer celebration held in Lagos on Thursday, June 25th,2026, where he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting Nigerian seafarers and improving their welfare.

The event, themed “Carrying World Trade, Carrying the Risk,” drew key stakeholders from across the maritime industry, including heads of maritime agencies, members of the National Assembly, shipping companies, crewing agencies, ministry officials, maritime labour unions and seafarers.

Speaking through the Director of Maritime Safety and Security in the Ministry, Mr. Makoji Musa, Oyetola said the era of neglecting Nigerian seafarers must come to an end.

“Let me send a clear message to all shipping companies, crewing agencies and employers of seafarers.

“Our seafarers must be treated with dignity, fairness and respect at all times.

“The era of neglecting the welfare of seafarers, denying them their legitimate entitlements, or subjecting them to unacceptable working conditions must come to an end.

“The well-being of our maritime workforce is non-negotiable,” the minister declared.

Oyetola described seafarers as the backbone of global commerce, noting that they facilitate over 85 per cent of world trade despite operating under difficult and often hazardous conditions.

“Behind every successful voyage lies a story of commitment, endurance and sacrifice,” he said.

“Seafarers spend long periods away from their families, work under demanding conditions and navigate increasingly complex operational and security challenges.

“Their profession requires not only technical competence but also courage, discipline and exceptional resilience.”

He stressed that celebrating seafarers should go beyond ceremonial speeches and translate into concrete actions that improve their working conditions, strengthen safety standards and safeguard their rights.

The Minister reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to advancing maritime safety, security and decent work through reforms targeted at improving maritime education and training, raising certification standards, expanding employment opportunities for Nigerian seafarers and ensuring full compliance with international maritime conventions.

In a major policy announcement, Oyetola disclosed that the Ministry is in the final stages of establishing a national shipping carrier under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

According to him, the initiative is designed to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign shipping lines, curb capital flight, strengthen indigenous shipping capacity and, crucially, create more employment opportunities for Nigerian seafarers.

He explained that the proposed national carrier would also address one of the biggest challenges confronting Nigerian cadets by providing adequate sea-time training required for international certification and employment.

“The Ministry is finalizing plans to establish a national shipping carrier through a Public-Private Partnership arrangement.

“This strategic initiative will help stem the enormous capital flight associated with the dominance of foreign shipping lines, enhance Nigeria’s participation in international maritime trade and strengthen our national shipping capacity.

“Importantly, the initiative will create new opportunities for Nigerian seafarers by expanding sea-time placements, increasing employment prospects, developing local maritime expertise and providing a sustainable platform for career advancement,” Oyetola said.

The Minister maintained that protecting the welfare and rights of seafarers remains central to the Federal Government’s vision of building a globally competitive maritime sector and unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s blue economy.

Funso OLOJO, Editor

Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) has unveiled a fresh $50 million investment plan to expand its terminal operations in Lagos, in a major private-sector vote of confidence in Nigeria’s drive to become the leading maritime hub in West and Central Africa.

The Managing Director of PTML, Mr. Ascanio Russo, disclosed the planned investment on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2026 during a visit to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, in Abuja.

Russo said the proposed investment, to be executed by PTML– a member of the Grimaldi Group — will focus on expanding the terminal’s berthing capacity and acquiring additional modern port equipment at the Tin Can Island Port Complex in Lagos.

According to him, the expansion is aimed at strengthening port infrastructure, improving cargo-handling efficiency and positioning PTML to handle the next generation of Container/Roll-on Roll-off (Con-Ro) vessels, including some of the largest currently operating in global shipping.

“The Grimaldi Group remains deeply committed to Nigeria and firmly believes in the country’s potential as the leading maritime and logistics gateway in West and Central Africa,” Russo said.

He noted that the planned $50 million injection is designed to prepare PTML for the future by boosting operational efficiency, cargo throughput and service delivery.

Russo explained that the new berthing facilities would enable PTML to receive larger and more advanced Con-Ro vessels directly at the Lagos terminal, a development he said would keep Nigeria competitive in the rapidly changing global shipping environment.

“The maritime industry is evolving rapidly, with larger and more efficient vessels becoming the standard for international trade.

“Through this expansion, PTML will be fully equipped to accommodate these next-generation Con-Ro vessels, ensuring that Nigeria remains competitive and attractive to global shipping lines,” he said.

He described the project as a direct response to the Federal Government’s push for stronger private-sector participation and international partnerships in the modernisation of Nigeria’s port infrastructure.

Beyond its operational impact, Russo said the investment is expected to boost trade volumes, increase cargo throughput, create jobs during construction and operations, and generate more revenue for government through expanded port activities.

Responding, Oyetola welcomed the proposed investment, describing it as a strong endorsement of the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms in the maritime sector.

The Minister reaffirmed government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for private capital and transforming Nigerian ports into the preferred hub for shipping, logistics and maritime services in the sub-region.

“This investment is a clear demonstration that our reforms are yielding results and that international investors recognise the vast opportunities in Nigeria’s maritime sector,” Oyetola said.

He added that the Federal Government remains focused on building modern, efficient and globally competitive ports capable of driving trade, supporting economic growth and cementing Nigeria’s status as the maritime gateway to West and Central Africa.

Oyetola said current government efforts are targeted at improving port efficiency, eliminating operational bottlenecks, strengthening infrastructure, deepening digitalisation and enhancing ease of doing business across the nation’s ports.

He listed port modernisation initiatives, closer collaboration with terminal operators, and policies aimed at attracting higher cargo volumes among key measures being pursued to reposition the sector.

– 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.