WAF Shipping Focus: Week 27
- Agwe Logistics Solutions
- Jul 11
- 3 min read
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) said it has saved Nigerian shippers and the nation’s economy over N90.60 billion and US$1.348 million through regulatory interventions, consumer protection measures and alternative dispute resolution between November 2023 and June 2026. Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Dr. Pius Akutah disclosed this on Saturday during a media lunch with maritime editors in Lagos. According to the NSC boss, the savings comprised ₦86.06billion in unjustified demurrage payments and securing savings of ₦4.54 billion and US$1.348 million recovered through Alternative Dispute Resolution and other regulatory interventions.
The recent occasion of the 2026 World Seafarers Day celebration offered yet another opportunity to remember those who served on board ships belonging to the erstwhile national carrier; Nigerian National Shipping Line before the company was liquidated in 1995.
The loudest call for their remembrance came from the immediate past President General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Adewale Adeyanju.
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, and the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen bilateral maritime cooperation, enhance regional maritime governance, and promote the sustainable development of the Blue Economy across West Africa. Speaking during the signing ceremony in Lagos, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, expressed appreciation to Ghana for its support during Nigeria’s successful re-election to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Category C Council, noting that the longstanding relationship between both countries continues to advance maritime development within the region.
Investigations by Shipping Position Daily have revealed that Nigerian seafarers paid between N120,000 and N250,000 to obtain a Seafarers’ Discharge Book, officially priced at about N12,000, exposing a long-running regime of extortion, middlemen interference and alleged racketeering that stakeholders believe will be significantly curtailed by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency’s (NIMASA) newly-launched online application portal.
Industry stakeholders who spoke with our correspondent last week noted that the digital platform is expected to eliminate the activities of middlemen, curb extortion, reduce opportunities for forgery and make the issuance of discharge books more transparent and efficient.
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has concluded plans to host the 18th International Maritime Seminar for Judges from July 22 to 24, 2026, in Abuja as part of efforts to strengthen maritime jurisprudence and promote a more efficient and globally competitive maritime industry. The Executive Secretary of the Council, Dr. Pius Akutah disclosed this at the weekend, saying the seminar is being organised in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute ( NJI) and the Nigerian Maritime Law Association ( NMLA) According to him, the three-day seminar will bring together Justices of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Federal and State High Courts, senior maritime law practitioners, academics, regulators and maritime experts from Nigeria and other African countries.
No fewer than 1,800 export containers are currently trapped at the APM Terminals (APMT) Apapa due to growing congestion at the terminal, raising concerns over potential losses to exporters. The Head of the Complaints Unit of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mrs. Juliana Saka, disclosed this during a media parley in Lagos at the weekend, saying the Council had intervened following complaints from shippers over the delayed shipment of export cargo. According to Saka, the complaints were brought before the Council by the Shippers Association, prompting a tripartite meeting involving the Council, Maersk Nigeria and the leadership of the shippers’ association.
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