Gloria Odion,  Maritme reporter 

The Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) is set to confer its prestigious title of Patron on the President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), High Chief Tochukwu Ezisi, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Nigeria’s maritime industry and his commitment to humanitarian causes.

The investiture will take place at the MARAN Maritime Annual Lecture (MAMAL), the association’s flagship programme, scheduled to hold at the Nigerian Air Force Event Centre, No. 1 Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

High Chief Ezisi is a seasoned freight forwarding professional whose decades of experience and contributions to the profession have earned him considerable respect within and beyond the maritime community.

He is also recognised for his philanthropic activities and commitment to supporting individuals and communities.

MARAN President, Mr. Oluyinka Onigbinde, said the decision to honour Ezisi reflects the association’s appreciation of individuals who have distinguished themselves through professionalism, service and meaningful contributions to the growth of the maritime sector.

According to him, Ezisi’s elevation as Patron is expected to further strengthen the relationship between MARAN and stakeholders in the freight forwarding profession and the broader maritime community.

Onigbinde noted that MAMAL has, over the years, evolved into a credible platform for critical conversations on issues affecting Nigeria’s maritime industry, bringing together policymakers, government officials, regulators, industry leaders, academics, journalists and other key stakeholders.

The annual lecture is expected to attract senior government officials, bureaucrats, maritime regulators, academics and leading stakeholders across the Nigerian maritime industry.

MARAN said the investiture of High Chief Tochukwu Ezisi will be one of the major highlights of this year’s MAMAL and will reinforce the association’s commitment to recognising individuals whose contributions advance professionalism, collaboration and sustainable development in Nigeria’s maritime sector.

Gloria Odion , Maritme reporter

The League of Maritime Editors has called for deliberate policy measures to address the imbalance in cargo traffic between Nigeria’s western and eastern seaports, saying a more equitable distribution of vessel and cargo calls would strengthen the national economy and unlock the vast potential of the marine and blue economy.

This call was made by the outgoing President of the group, Mrs Remi Itie, during her welcome address at the group’s  conference held in Lagos on Thursday, August 20th, 2026 with the themed “Lagos Eastern Ports: How to Reverse Existing Imbalance in Disproportionate Cargo Calls,”

According to Itie, the conference was convened as part of the League’s contribution to nation-building through agenda-setting for policymakers, public enlightenment and constructive engagement on critical issues affecting Nigeria’s maritime sector and wider economy.

She stressed that the objective was not to undermine any individual, institution or government agency, but to identify gaps in the nation’s port system, highlight opportunities and share ideas capable of advancing national development.

The League leader said the imbalance in cargo distribution remained one of the critical issues requiring urgent attention, particularly given the enormous economic potential of Nigeria’s eastern ports and coastal communities.

While acknowledging the comparative advantages and significant contributions of the western ports to national revenue and economic activities, Itie urged the Federal Government and other stakeholders to formulate and implement policies that would attract greater cargo traffic to the eastern ports.

According to her,  a more balanced port system would stimulate economic activities in the eastern region, create employment and investment opportunities, reduce pressure on the western ports and spread the benefits of maritime commerce more evenly across the country.

The League also called on the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to intensify efforts to map Nigeria’s coastal areas and develop viable maritime infrastructure around locations with the potential to support new and existing seaports.

Beyond port development, the League said Nigeria’s coastal waterways offered enormous opportunities in tourism, agriculture, fisheries and other blue-economy activities that remained largely untapped.

The association cited the Ethiope River in Delta State, which runs from the Abraka axis through Eku and Sapele and beyond, as an example of the economic possibilities embedded in Nigeria’s inland and coastal waterways.

The League noted that similar opportunities existed in Bayelsa and other coastal states, stressing that strategic investments in infrastructure, tourism, fisheries and water-based industries could significantly broaden Nigeria’s economic base.

The maritime journalists also raised concerns over pollution and poor waste management along Nigeria’s coastal corridors and territorial waters.

The League urged relevant authorities to intensify measures to curb pollution, warning that continued degradation of marine and freshwater ecosystems could have far-reaching consequences for aquatic life, coastal communities and the national economy.

It warned that contamination of waterways could affect the quality and availability of fish and other marine products consumed by Nigerians, with potential consequences for public health, food security and the livelihoods of fishing communities.

It further noted that marine pollution could undermine Nigeria’s competitiveness in the international market for fisheries and other marine products, thereby limiting the country’s export potential.

Against this backdrop, the conference is expected to examine practical measures for tackling pollution in Nigeria’s territorial waters, strengthening security across the port system, addressing the imbalance in vessel calls and resolving other challenges confronting the maritime sector.

The League also expressed interest in position papers expected from agencies under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, including the Nigeria Customs Service, saying the perspectives of the agencies would enrich discussions and help produce practical recommendations.

The League also maintained that the responsibility for national development rests collectively on government, the private sector, professionals and citizens, stressing that Nigeria possesses the natural and human resources required to transform its economic fortunes.

It recalled that Nigeria once stood alongside several emerging Asian economies that later became known as the “Asian Tigers,” expressing optimism that the country could reclaim a leading position through sound policies, strategic investment and effective utilisation of its resources.

The League therefore called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, policymakers, private-sector operators and maritime professionals to unlock the country’s maritime potential.

It said developing a more balanced, competitive and sustainable port system would not only strengthen Nigeria’s maritime economy but also support broader economic growth and ensure that the benefits of the blue economy are distributed more widely across the country.

Gloria Odion, Maritime Reporter

The Federal Government has unveiled plans to address the persistent imbalance in cargo distribution between Lagos and Nigeria’s Eastern ports, insisting that a more balanced and interconnected port system is critical to reducing logistics costs and strengthening the country’s maritime competitiveness.

Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, stated this at the General Meeting and Conference of the League of Maritime Editors in Lagos, where he said the Federal Government was determined to reposition the nation’s ports to complement one another rather than compete for attention and investment.

Oyetola, who was represented by the ministry’s Director of Press, Mrs Anastasia Ogbonna, expressed concern over the heavy concentration of vessel and cargo traffic at Lagos ports, particularly Apapa and Tin Can Island, while major Eastern ports remain relatively underutilised.

According to him, the imbalance has consequences far beyond the ports, affecting national logistics costs, regional economic development, infrastructure utilisation, investment and the overall competitiveness of the maritime sector.

For decades, Lagos ports have handled the bulk of Nigeria’s seaborne cargo, largely because of their historical importance and the concentration of commercial and industrial activities in Lagos.

However, Oyetola noted that the heavy cargo concentration has placed enormous pressure on port and transport infrastructure, resulting in congestion, delays, longer cargo dwell and vessel turnaround times, increased demurrage and logistics costs, pressure on road infrastructure, environmental challenges and inefficiencies across the supply chain.

He said the Eastern ports, including Onne, Port Harcourt, Warri and Calabar, possess considerable strategic and economic potential that remains largely untapped.

“Their proximity to major industrial, agricultural, energy and commercial activities gives them a natural advantage in serving large sections of Nigeria’s hinterland,” the minister said.

He explained that stronger Eastern ports could support industrial clusters, facilitate exports, promote agro-allied value chains and stimulate economic activities across the South-East, South-South and Niger Delta regions.

But despite these advantages, Oyetola said the ports continue to grapple with draft limitations, inadequate infrastructure, navigation challenges, security concerns, poor hinterland connectivity, inadequate equipment, high operating costs and unreliable services.

These constraints, he noted, have affected their ability to attract regular and competitive vessel calls.

“The result is a cargo distribution imbalance that is neither beneficial to the national economy nor sustainable in the long term.
“Reversing this imbalance is not merely a regional demand; it is a national economic imperative,” he declared.

Lagos, Eastern Ports Must Complement Each Other

Oyetola said the Federal Government was pursuing a strategic approach to transform Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure and position the sector as a stronger driver of economic growth.

“The Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and its agencies are committed to developing a port system in which Lagos and the Eastern Ports complement one another rather than compete for government attention and investment,” he said.

He explained that the modernisation and rehabilitation of the Eastern ports remain integral to the Federal Government’s broader port development strategy.

The interventions, according to him, will include improving channel depths and navigability, rehabilitating critical port infrastructure, enhancing navigational safety, upgrading cargo-handling facilities, strengthening maritime security and improving the operating environment for shipping lines, terminal operators and cargo owners.

The minister also stressed the importance of private-sector participation, noting that the scale of investment required to modernise Nigeria’s port infrastructure cannot be provided by government alone.

‘We Are Not Developing Lagos at East’s Expense’

Addressing concerns over the government’s ongoing focus on major modernisation projects at Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, Oyetola said the prioritisation was based on operational urgency, economic necessity, project readiness and responsible sequencing.

He insisted that investment in Lagos should not be interpreted as a decision to abandon the Eastern ports.

“We are not developing Lagos Ports at the expense of the East. We are strengthening Lagos while building the capacity of the Eastern Corridor to assume a greater and more strategic share of national maritime traffic,” he declared.

According to him, the long-term objective is to establish a genuinely multi-port system where cargo owners and shipping lines have viable alternatives and can select gateways based on efficiency, cost, reliability and proximity to their markets.

However, Oyetola cautioned that infrastructure development alone would not automatically trigger cargo redistribution.

“Shipping lines make commercial decisions based on factors such as port draft, connectivity, security, operating costs and the overall reliability of port services,” he noted.
He therefore stressed the need for simultaneous improvements in infrastructure, security, connectivity, efficiency and the overall business environment.

Eastern Ports as Economic Growth Corridors

The minister acknowledged that the cargo imbalance between Lagos and the Eastern ports was the product of decades of historical, operational and infrastructure-related factors and could not be reversed overnight.

He nevertheless maintained that the imbalance could and must be addressed through deliberate policy and sustained investment.

Oyetola identified strategic infrastructure investment, private-sector participation, digital transformation, improved security and stronger multimodal connectivity as critical components of the solution.

He emphasised that modernising the Eastern ports should not be viewed as an isolated regional intervention, but as part of a national strategy to create a resilient, competitive and interconnected port system.

Under the proposed system, Lagos would continue to serve as a major maritime gateway, while Onne, Warri, Calabar and other viable ports would be developed to handle a larger and more diversified share of national and regional trade.

The ultimate objective, he said, is to create a maritime system where cargo moves through the gateway offering the greatest efficiency, reliability and value, irrespective of geographical location.

He added that achieving this would reduce logistics costs, strengthen regional economies, attract investment, create jobs, improve trade competitiveness and reinforce Nigeria’s position as a leading maritime and logistics hub in West Africa.

Oyetola Charges Maritime Media on Accountability

The Minister also highlighted the role of maritime journalists in driving reforms and shaping public understanding of developments in the sector.

“The media is not merely a reporter of what happens in the sector. You are an important stakeholder in shaping public understanding, attracting investment and promoting accountability,” he said.

He urged the League of Maritime Editors to continue providing platforms for objective and evidence-based discussions on the challenges confronting the maritime industry.

Oyetola challenged maritime journalists to interrogate government policies, expose bottlenecks, draw attention to areas requiring urgent intervention and report meaningful progress in the sector.

He also assured the media that government must remain willing to listen to constructive criticism.

The minister maintained that the Federal Government’s vision was not simply to expand individual ports, but to create a connected national port network in which Lagos and the Eastern ports operate as complementary gateways.

Such a system, he argued, would distribute cargo more efficiently, reduce pressure on overstretched infrastructure, unlock the economic potential of the Eastern Corridor and ultimately make Nigeria’s maritime sector more competitive.