Connect with us
BY EGUONO ODJEGBA The recent remarks by Gerard Levy, Chief Executive Officer of RTCOM Defense, may have reignited debate over Nigeria’s twin maritime security architectures: the Nigerian Navy’s Falcon Eye and NIMASA’s Deep Blue Project. In an exclusive interview, Levy dismissed comparisons between the two initiatives, stressing that they serve entirely different mandates and cannot be measured on the same scale. Levy described Falcon Eye as “an independent, nationwide Command, Control, and Multi-Sensor Intelligence Fusion infrastructure” designed to provide real-time maritime domain awareness....
BY FUNMI ALUKO The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has strengthened its border security and intelligence capabilities by deploying an INTERPOL Data Centre at its Headquarters in...
BY FUNMI ALUKO The Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has emphasised the need for interoperable customs systems across Africa, describing it as a critical...
BY IBRAHIM NASIRU During the recent Day of the Seafarer celebrations, a major policy bombshell dropped that sent shockwaves through the maritime industry. The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) announced a massive 150% wage increase for local seafarers. By integrating international maritime standards into local contracts, the government is finally attempting to address a long-standing injustice: the systemic underpayment of the men and women who keep our maritime trade afloat. On paper, it looks like an incredible victory for labour and a massive step forward for the thousands of young cadets who have gone through the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP). But as any seasoned observer of Nigerian policy knows, a wage increase on paper means absolutely nothing if you do not possess a job to earn it. The uncomfortable reality is that a 150% salary boost is completely useless if local shipping companies are priced out of the market, or if foreign vessels continue to dominate our territorial waters. Nigeria passed the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act way back in 2003 with a very clear, patriotic objective: domestic coastal trade was supposed to be reserved strictly for Nigerian-owned, Nigerian-built, and Nigerian-crewed vessels. It was designed to build local capacity and ensure that our wealth stayed within our borders. Yet, over two decades later, the spirit of that law is routinely violated every single day. The maritime sector has structural friction that cannot be solved by simply adjusting a salary scale. The biggest culprit here is the infamous cabotage waiver system. For years, international shipping lines have exploited regulatory loopholes to secure endless ministerial waivers. These waivers allow foreign-flagged ships with entirely foreign crews to operate freely in our domestic waters, moving cargo between Lagos, Onne, and Port Harcourt. They claim that local capacity does not exist, using that excuse to completely bypass local seafarers. As...
BY KESSIENA The persistent congestion along the Tin-Can and Apapa port corridors has once again raised alarm among stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime sector, with accusations of...
…As Gov. Diri Advocates Stronger Coastal State Action BY KESIENNA SHEPHERDS The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, has called for stronger collaboration...
…As Customs Management Celebrates His Extension of WCO Chairmanship Tenure, Leadership Milestones BY FUNMI ALUKO The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, was alive...
