Port News – Shipping World News Magazine

May282025 by Asu BeksNo Comments

CGC Wale Adeniyi’s Presidential Endorsement Excites Stakeholders .BY ASU BEKS.

Some critical stakeholders in the maritime sector have applauded the endorsement of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, mfr, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as timely and a call to do more. In a statement last week by Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu had commended the outstanding performance of the Customs helmsman whose leadership style it said was top notch, yielding great dividends in the area of revenue generation , trade facilitation and anti smuggling. Speaking exclusively with Shipping World, President emeritus of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, observed that President Tinubu's endorsement of Bashir Adewale's successes at Customs House, was not only a moral boosting gesture for officers and men and o...

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...

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...

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 ...

Feb272025 by Asu BeksNo Comments

BEHOLD THE MOST OUTSTANDING CUSTOMS AREA CONTROLLER, ANTI SMUGGLING.

Misc, Port News

Customs Area Controller in Charge of Onne Port, Compt. Mohammed Babandede, is a no nonse officer. Babandede shocked the World last year when he made an arms seizure worth over N35billion last year. For this demonstration of bravery and other critical interventions at the Command, including high revenue yield, he was voted the MOST OUTSTANDING CUSTOMS AREA CONTROLLER IN ANTI SMUGGLING by Maritime Media Ltd. His investiture ceremony is billed for the Oriental Hotel Victoria Island Lagos on Tuesday, April 15. Elder Asu Beks, CEO of Maritime Media Ltd was at Onne Port on Wednesday to present him with his letter of nomination.

Feb132025 by Asu BeksNo Comments

GLOBAL TARIFF WAR: NPA’s ABUBAKAR DANTSOHO HITS TARGET By Asu Beks.

News Feature, Port News

When Donald Trump threatened the world, during his campaign for the US top job , especially China, Candada and Mexico that they should prepare for a barrage of tariff increases once he wins the election, only a few took him seriously. Even though our Nigerian born headmistress of the World Trade Organization, Dr Ngozi Okonji-Iweala, promptly cautioned against the threats which she warned might be catastrophic, she underestimated the swiftness with which Donald Trump struck once he won the November elections. A tariff is a tax on imported goods and services . Tariffs are typically a percentage of the value of the goods. The purpose of tariffs is to raise revenue for government and to protect domestic industries from foreign competition. About a fortnight ago, the Nigerian Ports Autho...

Nov232024 by Asu BeksNo Comments

Abubakar Dantsoho: Agenda for West and Central African ports. By Asu Beks

News Feature, Port News

Founded 52 years ago in October 1972, the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) was established under the auspices of the Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). The main objective of the 40 member group is to contribute towards improvement, coordination and harmonization of port and harbour activities, services and infrastructure among countries in West and Central Africa subregion. The election last week of Nigeria's Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, is the first time in the history of the regional body a Nigerian has been elected as Chairman. Dantsoho's election is coming on the heels of the establishment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. There is no doubt that the challenges...

Nov202024 by Asu BeksNo Comments

Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund Intact, says Dayo Mobereola

News Feature, Port News

Funds accrued under the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) are intact and currently held with the Central Bank of Nigeria under the Single Treasury Account (TSA). This contrary to a misleading publication alleging that funds have disappeared from the CVFF account. The report of a missing money is both misleading and false. For the record, the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, securely held in the NIMASA account at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), remains intact. There has been no disappearance of funds, and no illegal transactions, as the article suggests. This misinformation is a figment of the authors imagination, aimed at undermining NIMASA’s integrity, and mislead the public about the Agency's operations. The Management of NIMASA will ensure that the CVFF is utilised in line with...

Nov92024 by Asu BeksNo Comments

COMPT. DERA NNADI,mni : AN APOSTLE OF GOOD GOVERNANCE …By ASU BEKS…

News Feature, Port News

The three unmistakable traits of a great leader is one who has empathy, integrity and creativity moulded into one. According to a recent research, great leaders use empathy to build rapport, resolve conflicts and create a supportive and inclusive work environment. A leader with Integrity is honest and relies on their own moral compass and values to make decisions for the organization. He is also one who invests hugely in creativity for developing new products or services and finding unique ways to address challenges. Best leaders rarely follow established pathways or copy the routes others have taken, instead, they embrace new ways of thinking and doing things. Not only does Comptroller Dera Nnadi, mni ,parade these unique qualities of a leader, he is also blessed with an innovative bos...

Oct52024 by Asu BeksNo Comments

WALE ADENIYI: 12 Outstanding Milestones of Renewed Hope Agenda at Customs House* By ASU BEKS

News Feature, Port News

There was wild jubilation across Customs formations nationwide when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu June last year announced the appointment of Mr. Wale Adeniyi as the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service. Wale Adeniyi's emergence as the new helmsman of the Service brought to an end the infamous eight year regime of Hameed Ali which will go down in history as the most repressive in the over 100 year history of the Service. For eight years, Hameed Ali ran the Customs as if it was a military cantonment. Under him, the fear of Hameed Ali was the beginning of wisdom. Management meetings were usually one sided as most officers were afraid to trade opinions that would elicit his wrath. As one observer disclosed, the Hameed Ali days were the darkest moments in the history of Nige...