WAF Shipping Focus: Week 16
- Agwe Logistics Solutions
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT have arrested three suspected stowaways attempting to illegally migrate to Europe aboard a merchant vessel, MSC STELLA with IMO No. 9279988 off the Lagos Fairway Buoy. The arrest, the Navy said occurred on Sunday, April 19 in a continued demonstration of its Search and Rescue (SAR) and maritime security commitment. The Navy said the operation followed credible intelligence received from the Western Regional Control Centre (WRCC), at about 5:05 p.m. According to a statement by the Director of Naval Information, Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the Quick Response Team (QRT) of NNS BEECROFT, stationed at Tarkwa Bay, was immediately deployed to the vessel’s location following the alert. He said the team successfully rescued the three suspects approximately five nautical miles off the Lagos coastline. According to him, preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects illegally boarded the vessel at about 1:00a.m 17 April 2026, while it was berthed at Tin Can Island Port.
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The Chairman of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, Governing Board, Dr. Ibrahim Shehu Shema, has called on port service providers to intensify efforts toward positioning Nigeria as a leading maritime hub in the region. Shema made the call during a courtesy visit by Board Members and top Management team of Nigerian Shippers’ Council, led by the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Dr. Akutah Pius, to Port Terminal Multi-Services Limited, PTML, and Mediterranean Shipping Company, MSC, in Lagos. He acknowledged the critical role of port operators in driving economic growth, stressing that sustained collaboration and operational efficiency are essential to achieving Nigeria’s maritime hub ambitions. He also noted the strategic importance of global shipping players such as Grimaldi in enhancing port capacity and competitiveness.
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Nigeria’s maritime sector is coming under increasing structural pressure despite modest gains in revenue, a new policy advisory by the Sea Empowerment & Research Center (SEREC) has indicated.
The report cautions that weakening export efficiency, persistent port congestion, and growing competition from neighbouring ports could undermine Nigeria’s position as West Africa’s leading maritime hub.
Titled “Maritime Reform at a Crossroads: Data Signals, Export Concerns, and the Urgent Need for Execution Discipline,” the advisory points to concerning trends recorded in the first quarter of 2026. Although customs revenue posted an estimated growth of between 12 and 18 percent, operational indicators such as cargo dwell time and vessel turnaround remain suboptimal. According to the report, average cargo dwell time exceeded 15 days, while vessel turnaround time ranged between four and six days. Export throughput, particularly in the non-oil segment, declined by about 8 to 12 percent—an indication, SEREC noted, of a gradual erosion of Nigeria’s export competitiveness.
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The House of Representatives Committee on Shipping Services has issued a three-week ultimatum to stakeholders in the maritime sector to resolve the lingering dispute over the controversial increase in port service charges, following a deadlocked peace meeting held in Lagos. The directive came amid a prolonged stand-off between freight forwarders and shipping companies over the Nigerian Shippers’ Council’s (NSC) approval of a 30 per cent tariff increase, which has sparked protests and operational disruptions across the nation’s seaports. Speaking with journalists after a closed door stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos, Chairman of the Committee, Abdusamad Dasuki, said all parties have agreed to return to the negotiation table and conclude deliberations within a strict time frame.
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The ongoing disputes over shipping tariff hikes between freight agents and shipping agencies deepened as mediation efforts led by the House Committee on Shipping Services and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) ended in a stalemate. The meeting, held in Lagos, followed earlier deliberation at the National Assembly penultimate week aimed at resolving the impasse after the NSC suspended its earlier plan to implement a 30 percent tariff hike and opted for broader stakeholder consultation. The shipping firms argued that the current tariff regime is unsustainable, citing rising inflation, increasing operational costs, foreign exchange volatility and global shipping pressure as reasons the current tariff regime is no longer sustainable. Speaking after a closed door session, Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Abdulsamad Dasuki said efforts were ongoing to reach a consensus among stakeholders. He disclosed that a fresh round of stakeholder engagement has been scheduled within the next two weeks to address unresolved issues.
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The Ghana Navy, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the European Union, is intensifying efforts to combat maritime crime through targeted capacity-building initiatives under Exercise OBANGAME EXPRESS 2026. The initiative forms part of the “Enhancing Maritime Security in Africa – Safe Seas for Africa” project being implemented within the Gulf of Guinea. In view of this, a two-day Tabletop and Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Exercise was launched at the Alisa Hotel, Tema, on, 21 April 2026, uniting experts from the Attorney-General’s Department, Narcotics Control Commission, Fisheries Commission, Marine Police, and INTERPOL. The training sought to sharpen inter-agency coordination and equip personnel to investigate and prosecute sea-based threats like piracy, illegal fishing, and trafficking.
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