News Feature – Shipping World News Magazine

May302025 by Asu BeksNo Comments

Diri’s Leadership Style Investment-Friendly, Says Dangote As Firm, Bayelsa Sign MoU

News Feature

Business mogul and chairman of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has said Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri’s style of leadership has made the state a safe haven for investment. Dangote, who is Africa’s richest man, spoke on Friday at Government House, Yenagoa, during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between his firm and the state government on investments in various sectors. These include oilfield and gas development, agro-allied processing, seaport and infrastructure. The visit was a follow-up to the governor’s visit to the Dangote Refinery in Lekki, Lagos in July 2024 and an earlier meeting between both parties at Nassau, The Bahamas, during the AFREXIM annual meeting in June 2024. Dangote expressed delight that work at his gas pipeline proj...

May302025 by Asu BeksNo Comments

At Last ,Regional Maritime Development Bank Berths in Abuja. By Asu Beks.

News Feature

After several false starts, the much awaited, and talked about West and Central African Regional Maritime Development Bank has anchored in Abuja. Thanks to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ,and Marine and Blue Economy Minister, Adegboyega Oyetola, for making this 16 year old dream come true. Only about three weeks ago, I had revealed in my weekly Marine and Blue Economy Digest column that Minister Oyetola was on the path of history. I had predicted that contrary to what sceptics think about him as a "non performer ", Chief Oyetola was silently pulling some strings that would place him as the best Minister this sector had ever produced since Independence. In that piece, I had explained that given the landmark achievements he had recorded in just under a period of two years, it is obvious that...

May302025 by Asu BeksNo Comments

The Media And My Takeaway From PDP NEC Meeting By Daniel Alabrah

Misc, News Feature

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) eventually held its long-expected National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. It was the 99th in the series. The meeting held at the party’s Legacy House in Abuja was significant for many reasons. To be sure, it was an opportunity for the party that had been enmeshed in a self-inflicted crisis since the 2023 presidential poll to re-invent and reposition itself ahead of the 2027 general election. The atmosphere at the meeting, which had in attendance key leaders and organs of the party, was convivial. For a party that had in the last two years severally shifted this all-important meeting, it was not only an opportunity for frank deliberations but also for some form of back-tapping. Indeed, it was an important turn of events ...

May252025 by Asu BeksNo Comments

Lekki Deep Seaport: NPA Targets 19 metres Draft

News Feature, Port News

The Federal Government has given the Nigerian Ports Authority the nod to dredge $1.5bn Lekki Deep seaport channel from its present 16.5metres to 17metres in the first instance, as it targets 19meters depth. Disclosing this over the weekend during his maiden visit to Lekki port, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Abubakar Dantsoho in the company of senior management staff of the Authority, urged Lekki Port to consolidate transshipment volumes to landlocked neighboring countries. According to Abubakar Dantsoho, "The rise in throughput volume at Lekki Port is exciting to us. "Lekki’s capacity to berth super post-panamax vessels and deliver rapid cargo and vessel turnaround positions is a game-changer for Nigeria’s export competitiveness, particularly for agro-alli...

May222025 by Asu BeksNo Comments

Abubakar Dantsoho : An Open Door Policy that has Renewed Hope for Nigerian Port Users . By Asu Beks.

Maritime, News Feature

It was a sigh of relief for Nigeria's Maritime Stakeholders when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on July 12, 2024 named Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority. Dantsoho is not only an accomplished international technocrat and professional of repute, he is also someone who had paid his dues. He was a one time Port Port Manager, a former Chief of Staff to the immediate minister of Transportation, among other critical portfolios. His appointment came at a time Nigerians were already getting frustrated that the NPA was becoming a breeding ground for political settlement , with appointees deviating from NPAs core functions as a critical component of our economic wellbeing, as gateway to the nation's economy . For instance, when during the Buhari administration Hadiz...

May182025 by Asu BeksNo Comments

Ibadan stands still For Diri as Bayelsa Governor is Honoured

News Feature

Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, was on Saturday honoured as the Most Outstanding Friend of Ibadan (MOFI) by the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII). The elaborate ceremony held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium (formerly Liberty Stadium) in Ibadan, Oyo State, was the culmination of the 2025 Ibadan Cultural Festival, which promotes unity and friendship between indigenes and other Nigerians. Present at the event were the state governor, Oluseyi Makinde, his deputy, Adebayo Lawal, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, a former governor and the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Senator Rasheed Ladoja as well as other prominent personalities from the state and members of the Ijaw community in Ibadan. On his choice as an awardee, the CCII described Senator Dir...

May162025 by Asu BeksNo Comments

Planned disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund: An Open Letter to Dayo Mobereola. By ASU BEKS.

News Feature

My dear brother, Dayo Mobereola, Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, i hope this letter meets you in a perfect condition of health?As DG NIMASA, I appreciate the burden on your shoulders as you navigate through these turbulent times to justify the confidence reposed on you by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. My prayers today, and every day, is that God should bestow on you the wisdom of Solomon and heart of a lion to overcome the myriad of problems you have had to contend with since the mantle of leadership fell on you to take NIMASA to the promise land. As a critical stakeholder, I appreciate the enormous responsibilities which rests on your shoulders. I guess you know that this is a thankless job ....only a few would wish that you succeed, while o...

May132025 by Asu BeksNo Comments

NSC Saves N31 Billion as Ministry Pushes for Sectoral Transformation

News Feature, Port News

Nigerian Shippers' Council (NSC) has highlighted its impressive performance and called for critical policy and funding reforms at the ongoing 2025 Sectoral Retreat of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy. The NSC's Executive Secretary/CEO, Dr. Pius Akutah, MON, disclosed that the Council saved the Federal Government over N31 billion between January and June 2024 through automation of demurrage, freight rate, and charter party verification. Dr. Akutah also showcased the Council's achievements, including the commissioning of the Funtua Inland Dry Port, top-ranking performance in the 2024 ICPC Ethics and Integrity Scorecard, the launch of online registration portals for port users and service providers and the development of the Trade and Transport Data Bank now nearing compl...

May92025 by Asu BeksNo Comments

New Marine and Blue Economy Policy: The Imperatives of an Implementation Committee . By Asu Beks.

Maritime, News Feature

A cheery news emerged from last Monday's Federal Executive Council meeting,FEC, Presided by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It was to the effect that the Federal Government has approved a 10-year Policy framework for Nigeria's Marine and Blue Economy. The news attracted jubilation from stakeholders who for almost two years since the creation of the ministry have been groping in the dark about the policy direction and framework of the new ministry. For a country which had relied upon a sole commodity as its mainstay, this news couldn't have come at a better time. The world bank sees the blue economy as a vital opportunity for sustainable economic growth, improved livelihoods, job creation, while preserving the health of Marine ecosystems. The Blue Economy aligns with the world bank's go...

May32025 by Asu BeksNo Comments

Much Ado About the N12trn Customs 2025 Target. By Asu Beks.

News Feature, Port News

Nigerians were jolted early in the year by a N12trn Target slammed at the Nigeria Customs Service by the National Assembly Joint Committee on Finance. Smarting from an impressive N5.07tr target in 2024 which it surpassed by over 20 per cent, the Service was given N6.5tr as its target for 2025. But during the budget defence session in January, the Joint Committee on Appropriation, in its wisdom raised the figure by almost 100 per cent. The Committee claimed that available data from the budget office indicated a huge potential that a N12trn annual target in 2025 was achievable. This position drew criticism from experts and the organised private sector. Experts have expressed concern that the N12trn target could impact negatively on the trade environment. The contention is that increased ...