Headlines

Exclusive! FG plans massive rail connection to seaports in Nigeria– Opeifa

— Lekki Deep Sea Port to be connected to Lagos -Kano line

Funso OLOJO

The Federal government of Nigeria has concluded plans to connect all the sea ports in the country to rail lines in a bid to facilitate seamless movement of goods in and out of the ports.

This ambitious rail connectivity is part of the larger National Rail line programme that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is billed to unveil on or before October 1st, 2025.

Making this revelation on Thursday, August 7th, 2025 was the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr Kayode Opeifa when he appeared on a live broadcast programme on a popular Television station in Abuja.

Opeifa, who was speaking on the efforts of government to revitalize rail transport in the country, disclosed that the plan of President Tinubu is to connect all the towns and cities as well as all the ports to rail lines under the National Rail line programme.

On the issue of Port connectivity to the rail lines, Opeifa stated that the plan, which has commenced in Apapa port at the PTML Terminal,will soon be extended to Tin Can Port, Onne port, Port- Hacourt port and Warri Port.

“There is also a plan to connect all the seaports in Nigeria.

“So you have a situation where

the plan is to connect Apapa Port to Lagos Port.

“The train currently gets to Lagos Port, which is both on narrow gauge and standard gauge but the main container terminal at the Tin Can Port, will eventually get connected.

“Same way, the Warri Port will be connected to Warri on the Central line, that is Warri Port to Warri Town, that will take you to Itakpe, and eventually a connection to Abuja.

“The same way we are having the Port Hacourt line,the narrow gauge, is going to be extended back to Onne Port, and

Port Harcourt which is already at

Aba.

“Like I said, we’ll move to Umuahia ,Enugu and then Uyo.

“Then there is also a plan to connect the Lekki deep sea Port to the Lagos-Kano line via Kajola.

“And there is also a plan to take some from the Lekki deep sea Port, which is to be connected to the Lagos-Kano line, eventually going to Benni, Onitsha, Enugu, and the rest on the standard route.

“And you saw recently, there was a borrowing plan approved by the National Assembly for some of these lines.

“So the plan is extensive, and like I said, before October 1st, the President will eventually unveil the national rail plan for the ports.

“So we have what we call the Vision 5, 10, 20, 30.

“That is what we’ll do in the first five years, how we transit to renewable energy in the first five years to ten

years when we start going electric.

“And then the issue of fast train is also on the table in the five to ten year program.

“So it’s a massive program, and it will soon be unveiled” Opeifa enthused.

On the plan to connect all the towns and cities in the country, the NRC boss disclosed that the programme is tied to the expansion of the ongoing rail modernisation plan on the standard gauge.

“There is a plan to connect major cities of this country, and we have seen that with Jos.

“Now, there is also a plan to expand the ongoing rail modernization plan on the Standard gauge.

“Very soon, before, most likely before October 1, there will be unveiling of many of the other new lines that are coming up.

“But I can tell you for sure that I see large connections to many towns and cities.

“There is the Regional Development Commission, too.

“They are also working on that plan.

What we are doing is integrating all these plans with the National Rail Corridor.

“There is the Western Line. So let me go first on the Western Line, Lagos to Kano. That is narrow gauge.

“There is also Lagos to Kano. That is the Standard gauge. So right now, the Minister of Transportation mentioned recently in Kaduna how far we are going on the Kano-Kaduna line and how far we are going on the Kano-Maradi line.

“So what you see is that Abuja-Kaduna will now be linked to Abuja-Kano within the next 12 months to 24 months.

“And we are now moving from ibadan to Oshogbo and possibly to Oyo, and then we’ll move to Oyo to Oshogbo, then we’ll move to Ilorin.

“Or we move from Oyo to Oshogbo, then we move to Ilorin.

“On the Eastern plan, we are moving from Aba to Enugu and from Aba to Umuahia and Umuahia to Enugu.

“And subsequently, we’ll move from there to Makurdi to Lafia and then we’ll move up to Maiduguri” declared Opeifa.

He said the plan is an ambitious one which will gulp a lot of money but which the government is determined to pursue to give the people the dividends of democracy.

Headlines

NIWA partners ICPC to strengthen internal transparency in its operations

Gloria Odion, Maritime Reporter

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has announced new strategies aimed at improving its operational system and enhancing collaboration with key stakeholders as part of efforts to boost efficiency and accountability.

Speaking at a post event Press Conference at NIWA Headquarters Lokoja, the Acting Managing Director, Umar Yusuf Girei, while answering questions from journalists stated that, the organization convened a two -day Executive and Anti-Corruption training with the theme “Strengthening Integrity and Revenue System in Inland Waterways Management” organized for Board Members, Management and Area Managers and also 2026 NIWA Management Retreat in Abuja.

The Acting MD noted as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,with the support Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, the Authority is focused on aligning institutional goals in ensuring better service delivery to Nigerians.

He further said, as part of its anti-corruption drive, the Management held discussions with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to explore measures for strengthening transparency within its operations.

Girei therefore, assured staff that the ongoing reforms under his watch would translate into improved service and better working conditions.

“NIWA remains committed to continuous improvement and stakeholder engagement and the reforms are expected to enhance both internal performance and public confidence”. he stated.

Headlines

Navy appoints new Maritime Guard Commander for NIMASA

Gloria Odion, Maritime Reporter

The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has approved the appointment of Commodore Reginald Odeodi Adoki as the Commander of the Maritime Guard Command at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Commodore Adoki takes over from Commodore H.C Oriekeze who has been redeployed.

Commodore Adoki, a principal Warfare Officer specializing in communication and intelligence, brings onboard 25 years experience in the Nigerian Navy covering training, staff and operations.

As a seaman, he has commanded NNS Andoni, NNS Kyanwa and NNS Kada.

It was under his command that NNS Kada under took her maiden voyage, sailing from the country of build (the United Arab Emirates) into Nigeria.

He was commissioned into the Nigerian Navy in 2000 with a BSc in Mathematics.

He has since earned a Masters in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos and an M.Sc in Terrorism, Security and Policing at University of Leicester, England.

He is currently pursuing a Ph.D in Defence and Security Studies at the National Defence Academy (NDA).

He is a highly decorated officer with several medals for distinguished service.

Welcoming the new MGC Commander to the Agency, the Director General, Dr Dayo Mobereola, expressed confidence in Adoki’s addition to the team, emphasising that it will further strengthen the nation’s maritime security architecture given his vast experience in the industry.

The Maritime Guard Command domiciled in NIMASA was established as part of the resolutions of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Navy to assist NIMASA strengthen operational efficiency in Nigeria’s territorial waters, especially through enforcement of security, safety and other maritime regulations.

Customs

Customs collects N1.585 trillion from 51 compliant traders under AEO programme

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Authorized Economic Operator (AEO), one of the trade facilitation tools introduced by the Nigeria Customs Service in 2025, has begun to yield bountiful harvests with the revenue growth of ₦362.79 billion recorded in 2025.

According to the AEO scorecard released by the Service, the facilitation tool grossed the sum of N1.585 trillion after certification, an increase revenue from N1.222 trillion before certification.

This represents the growth of N362.79 billion(29.68 per cent) for 51 AEO – certified entities as at October, 2025.

The Programme, according to the NCS, also contributed 21.77% to its total revenue collection of ₦7.281 trillion in 2025, while customs duties paid rose by 85.66% due to enhanced compliance and increased volumes of legitimate trade.

According to AEO Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Report, the Programme achieved an average compliance rate of 85.45 per cent with the highest at 100 per cent and the lowest at 60 per cent.

“The evaluation applied rigorous methodologies to ensure objectivity, transparency, and alignment with the World Customs Organisation (WCO) SAFE Framework of Standards and the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.

“In the area of trade facilitation, AEO participation reduced average cargo clearance time from 168 hours to 41 hours, representing a 75.60% time saving.

“Company operating costs declined by 57.2 per cent while demurrage payments dropped by 90 per cent, limiting capital flight to foreign-owned port service providers and strengthening foreign exchange retention.

” Overall trade efficiency improved by 77.11 per through digitalisation, simplified procedures, and targeted risk management” the Customs declared in the AEO scorecard.

However, the Service singled out with Eight companies for commendation due to their integrity and compliance under the programme.

The companies include Coleman Technical Industries Limited, WACOT Rice Limited, ROMSON Oil Field Services Ltd, WACOT Limited, Chi Farms Ltd, CORMART Nigeria Ltd, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited and MTN Nigeria Communications Plc.

The Service lauded them for a cumulative voluntary remittance of over a billion naira into the Federation Account following their self-initiated transaction review and disclosure.

“These actions reflect the strengthening of post-clearance audit mechanisms and a growing culture of voluntary compliance within the trading community.

Nevertheless, the Service suspended a firm under the programme for its non- compliance and display of lack of integrity.

The suspended firm engaged in false declaration of consignments contrary to programme obligations.

“Consequently, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, directed the immediate suspension of the company’s AEO status in accordance with the AEO Guidelines, the WCO SAFE Framework of Standards, and Section 112 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.

The NCS reiterated that the AEO Programme is founded on trust, transparency, and continuous compliance.

“While compliant operators will continue to benefit from expedited clearance and reduced inspection, appropriate sanctions will be applied where violations are established.

“The Service remains resolute in safeguarding national revenue, facilitating legitimate trade, and preserving the integrity and global credibility of Nigeria’s AEO framework” the NCS concluded in the report.