WAF Shipping Focus: Week 14
- Agwe Logistics Solutions
- Apr 12
- 4 min read
Indigenous barge operators under the aegis of Barge Operators Association of Nigeria (BOAN) have raised an alarm over a sharp decline in local participation within the nation’s maritime sector. The association revealed that the number of indigenous barge operating companies in Nigeria has plummeted from 83 to just 8, calling for urgent government intervention to prevent the total extinction of local players. Speaking during the 2026 First Quarter Citizens/Stakeholders’ Engagement and Ministerial Management Retreat in Lagos, Director of Operations for BOAN, Nura Wagani, alleged a coordinated and deliberate attempt by foreign interests to edge local operators out of business. He expressed concern that policies, operational bottlenecks, and preferential treatment allegedly being accorded to some foreign-linked entities by certain terminal operators are creating an uneven playing field.
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The Nigerian Navy has expressed readiness to partner with relevant organisation to strengthen indigenous shipbuilding capacity and enhance naval operations. The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, made this known in Abuja while receiving the Managing Director of ASELSAN Nigeria Limited, Mr Amadou Thiam, during a courtesy visit to Naval Headquarters. This is contained in a statement by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, in Abuja. The CNS said the move was in line with the Navy’s strategic objective of promoting local content development, technology transfer and sustainable capacity growth. He described the engagement as timely and strategic, noting that the Navy remained committed to collaborations that would deliver tangible benefits to Nigeria’s defence industrial base.
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https://shippingposition.com.ng/navy-seeks-partnerships-to-boost-indigenous-shipbuilding-operations/
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) have disclosed that it has received more than 60 applications for the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF), a development that signals fresh momentum in the push to strengthen indigenous participation in Nigeria’s shipping sector. The agency equally assured stakeholders that the disbursement of the fund would be handled transparently, with strict accountability measures guiding every step of the process. The disclosure came in Lagos, during the signing of the 2026 Performance Bond between NIMASA’s Director-General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola. At the event, Minister Oyetola left no room for ambiguity, issuing a pointed directive to heads of agencies under his ministry to focus on results and shun complacency. “Let me emphasize that all Departments and Agencies under the Ministry must remain firmly focused on delivering tangible results,” the Minister stated.
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The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says it facilitated export of over 500,000 tonnes of petroleum products from Dangote Refinery to African countries in March. NPA Managing Director, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, disclosed this in a statement issued by Mr Ikechukwu Onyemekara, General Manager (Corporate Communications and Strategy). Dantsoho spoke at a stakeholders’ engagement organized by the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in Lagos. He said in spite of the Middle East conflict affecting global vessel movement, Nigeria remained resilient in supplying petroleum products locally and for export. He attributed the achievement to the implementation of the One-Stop-Shop (OSS), introduced by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola. According to him, the OSS ensures all stakeholders operating at the Dangote Refinery align seamlessly in their operations.
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The Burkina Shippers’ Council (CBC) has formally notified the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) of a leadership transition within the organisation office in Ghana. The announcement was made when a delegation from the CBC led by its , Director General, Mrs Denise Bado Bouda paid a courtesy call on the Chief Executive Officer of the GSA, Prof. Ransford Gyampo, at the Ghana Shippers’ House in Accra on 8th April, 2026. Mrs Bouda introduced Mr Sayouba Kiendrebeogo as the new representative of the CBC in Ghana. On his part, Mr Kiendrebeogo assured the GSA of the CBC’s full cooperation in sustaining the bilateral relationship and ensuring continuity in efforts to enhance regional trade and logistics efficiency. Also speaking at the meeting, the Head of Freight and Logistics at the GSA, Mr Fred Asiedu-Dartey, emphasise the importance of continued collaboration with the CBC in addressing the key challenges that transit shippers face while using Ghana’s corridor within the framework of the MoU between the two Agencies.
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AD Ports Group has joined Africa Ports Development’s (APD) 30-year concession to design, build and operate a new dry bulk terminal at the Port of Douala in the Republic of Cameroon. The agreement establishes an investment structure, in which AD Ports Group and two other UAE investors own 60% of the operating company alongside Africa Ports Development Ltd's 40% ownership, implying an effective economic interest of 51% for AD Ports Group. The group’s share of investment is expected to be around €73.4 million for the development of phase one of the dry bulk terminal. Phase one comprises the construction of two berths and approximately 450 meters of quay wall, with an annual handling capacity of around four million tonnes of dry bulk cargo, such as clinker, gypsum, fertilizer, and grain. Construction is expected to take place in close collaboration with the Port Authority of Douala between 2026 and 2028.
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