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BY FUNMI ALUKO The President of the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria, Dr. Odunayo Ani, has called for stronger collaboration among governments, regulators...
BY KESSIENNA SHEPHERDS The appointment of Comptroller Joe Anani as Customs Area Controller of Tin Can Island Port Command comes at a defining moment for Nigeria’s maritime sector, a period when reforms are not only desirable but indispensable for the nation’s economic survival and growth. His early engagements with stakeholders, including traders, operators, and the maritime press, have signposted a leadership style that is pragmatic, inclusive, and reform-oriented, setting the tone for a tenure that could reshape the operational culture of one of Nigeria’s busiest ports. Tin Can Island Port is not just another command in the Nigeria Customs Service; it is a nerve center of the national economy, a hub through which billions of naira in revenue flow, and a gateway that connects Nigeria to global trade networks. Its efficiency or inefficiency reverberates across industries, influencing the cost of doing business, the competitiveness of Nigerian exports, and the credibility of the country’s trade facilitation agenda. Nigeria’s maritime reforms have long been framed around the twin objectives of trade facilitation and compliance enforcement, and Tin Can Island Port embodies the challenges and opportunities inherent in this balancing act. On one hand, the port must serve as a facilitator of legitimate trade, ensuring that cargo clearance processes are streamlined, transparent, and efficient. On the other hand, it must act as a bulwark against smuggling, revenue leakages, and non-compliance with customs laws. Therefore, Comptroller Anani’s early outreach suggests that he understands this dual mandate and is prepared to navigate its complexities with a strategy anchored on stakeholder synergy, technological integration, and capacity building. The economic significance of Tin Can Island Port cannot be overstated. As one of the two major container terminals in Lagos, alongside Apapa Port, it handles a substantial share of Nigeria’s imports and exports, ranging from manufactured goods to agricultural produce. The port’s performance directly impacts Nigeria’s trade balance, logistics costs, and industrial competitiveness. Recent global recognition of Nigerian ports, with Tin Can Island ranked among the top twenty most improved ports in the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index, underscores the progress being made but also highlights the need for sustained reforms. Vessel turnaround times have improved, but challenges remain in areas such as infrastructure, congestion, and compliance culture. Comptroller Anani’s agenda must therefore align with national reform priorities while addressing the peculiar dynamics of Tin Can Island. One of the most pressing issues at Tin Can Island Port is congestion, both within the port and on access roads. Congestion increases costs, delays cargo clearance, and undermines Nigeria’s competitiveness. Maritime reforms have emphasized the need for digitalization of processes, automation of cargo handling, and improved coordination among agencies. Comptroller Anani’s emphasis on technology integration is therefore timely. By expanding digital platforms for documentation and cargo tracking, he can reduce human interference, minimize opportunities for corruption, and enhance transparency. The Nigeria Customs Service has already made strides with the introduction of the Nigeria Customs Integrated System (NCIS), but effective implementation at the command level is critical. Tin Can Island Port, given its volume of traffic, must be a model of digital efficiency; and Comptroller Anani is expected to raise the bar further, from where he met it. Another unique dynamic of Tin Can Island Port is its role in revenue generation. Customs commands across Nigeria contribute to government revenue, but Tin Can Island is among the top earners. Protecting this revenue stream requires strict compliance enforcement. Smuggling, under-declaration, and false documentation are persistent challenges, and Comptroller Anani’s agenda must prioritize robust enforcement mechanisms. His early emphasis on compliance suggests a recognition of this reality. However, enforcement must be balanced with facilitation. Excessive rigidity can stifle legitimate trade, while laxity can encourage non-compliance. The art of customs administration lies in striking the right balance, and Anani’s stakeholder engagements indicate that he is seeking to build trust and cooperation as a foundation for compliance. Stakeholder synergy is another critical pillar of reform at Tin Can Island Port. The port ecosystem is complex, involving shipping companies, freight forwarders, terminal operators, regulatory agencies, and host communities. Effective customs administration requires collaboration across this ecosystem. Comptroller Anani’s decision to meet with traders, operators, and the press in quick succession reflects an understanding that communication and inclusivity are essential. By engaging stakeholders, he is not only building goodwill but also creating a platform for dialogue, problem-solving, and accountability. The maritime press, in particular, plays a vital role in shaping narratives, exposing inefficiencies, and holding institutions accountable. Anani’s openness to the press signals transparency, a quality that has often been lacking in port administration. Nigeria’s broader maritime reforms provide context for Anani’s agenda. The federal government has prioritized port efficiency as part of its economic diversification strategy, recognizing that non-oil exports must be facilitated if Nigeria is to reduce dependence on crude oil. The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has introduced reforms aimed at improving infrastructure, while the Nigeria Customs Service has pursued digitalization and compliance enforcement. International partners, including the World Bank, have supported capacity building and performance benchmarking. Tin Can Island Port, as a major gateway, is central to these reforms. Its success or failure will influence perceptions of Nigeria’s trade environment and determine whether the country can attract investment in manufacturing and export-oriented industries. Capacity building is another area where Comptroller Anani’s agenda aligns with national reforms. Customs personnel must be trained to meet global standards in trade facilitation and compliance management. The complexity of modern trade, with its reliance on digital platforms, international conventions, and sophisticated supply chains, requires a workforce that is skilled, adaptable, and ethical. Training programmes, exposure to international best practices, and continuous professional development are therefore essential. Anani’s emphasis on capacity building suggests that he recognizes the importance of human capital in driving reforms. Technology can automate processes, but it is people who implement policies, interpret regulations, and interact with stakeholders. Community relations also form part of the unique dynamics of Tin Can Island Port. The port is located in Lagos, a city with dense populations and vibrant communities. Host communities often bear the brunt of port operations, including traffic congestion, environmental pollution, and social disruptions. Effective customs administration must therefore include engagement with communities to ensure peaceful coexistence and support for port operations. Anani’s agenda must incorporate community relations, not as an afterthought but as a strategic priority. Sustainable port operations require harmony between institutions and communities, and customs leadership plays a role in fostering that harmony. The editorial perspective on Comptroller Anani’s early steps is that they represent a “beautiful start,” not merely in symbolic terms but in strategic substance. By sequencing his engagements logically, first with traders and operators, then with the press, but he has demonstrated a leadership style that values inclusivity, transparency, and accountability. His agenda reflects the unique dynamics of Tin Can Island Port, addressing issues of congestion, compliance, revenue protection, stakeholder synergy, technology integration, capacity building, and community relations. These priorities align with Nigeria’s broader maritime reforms, positioning Tin Can Island Port as a potential model of efficiency and compliance. The challenges ahead are formidable. Infrastructure deficits, resistance to change, entrenched practices of non-compliance, and external pressures from global trade dynamics will test Anani’s resolve. However, his early steps suggest preparedness to succeed. The success of his tenure will depend on his ability to sustain momentum, deepen reforms, and institutionalize practices that outlast his leadership. Tin Can Island Port is too critical to Nigeria’s economy to be left to chance. Its efficiency determines the competitiveness of Nigerian exports, the cost of imports, and the credibility of Nigeria’s trade facilitation agenda. Comptroller Anani’s leadership, therefore, is not just about customs administration but about national economic strategy. In conclusion, the appointment of Comptroller Joe Anani at Tin Can Island Port Command represents an opportunity to consolidate Nigeria’s maritime reforms and address the unique dynamics of one of the nation’s most critical economic arteries. His early engagements have set a tone of inclusivity and transparency, while his agenda reflects the priorities of trade facilitation, compliance enforcement, technology integration, capacity building, and community relations. The economic significance of Tin Can Island Port makes his assignment both challenging and consequential. If he sustains his beautiful start and navigates the complexities with pragmatism and resolve, Tin Can Island Port could become a model of synergy and compliance, driving Nigeria’s economic diversification and strengthening its position in global trade.
BY KESSIENNA SHEPHERDS The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has issued a fiery statement condemning what it describes as the irresponsible and brazen manner...
… As NIMASA Launches Seafarers’ Discharge Book Portal At 2026 Seafarers’ Day BY GBOGBOWA GBOWA Stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime sector have called for stronger protection, improved...
BY IBRAHIM NASIRU When the World Bank and S&P Global recently released the 2025 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), the headlines understandably erupted in celebration. For Tin Can Island and Apapa to land in the global Top 20 for performance gains is undoubtedly a historic milestone. Yet, for seasoned maritime analysts and industry stakeholders, a glaring question remains: what about the rest of Nigeria’s coastlines? While the satellite data accurately captures a localized turnaround in the Lagos pilotage districts, it simultaneously masks a stark regional imbalance. The narrative of Nigerian maritime modernization cannot begin and end in Lagos. To truly turn the tide, the conversation must expand to the Eastern Corridor encompassing Onne Port, Port Harcourt Port, Calabar Port, and Warri Port. The fundamental issue is that the World Bank’s CPPI relies strictly on automated vessel AIS data tracking. It registers a win when ship turnaround times shrink at a berth, but it completely shuts out the structural and geographical deficiencies that prevent large vessels from even sailing into Eastern waters in the first place. Modern deep sea shipping lines require drafts starting at 15 meters. While multi-billion naira investments and natural depths allow Lagos and the expanding Lekki Deep Sea Port to receive mega-vessels, Calabar Port remains severely hindered by an un-dredged channel hovering around a shallow 6 to 7 meters. Port Harcourt suffers from similar shallow constraints. Without aggressive, patriotic capital dredging projects, the devils in the details ensure that these regional Ports remain underutilized, regardless of how much digitization is deployed on paper. It is easy for policymakers to announce massive financial interventions. Critics are entirely right to point out that the Federal Government’s massive Port modernization plans must yield measurable metrics on the ground, not just political headlines. However, recent data shows that commercial viability is waiting to be unlocked. In overall cargo throughput metrics, Onne Port has consistently proven that the Eastern flank possesses massive economic power when given the operational room to breathe. The roadmap for greenfield developments like the Ibom deep seaport and others exists, but real execution under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework will be the ultimate judge of these investments. The current operational reality forces an unnatural economic bottleneck. Importers in the South-East and South-South regions frequently clear their goods in Lagos, only to transport them across hundreds of kilometers of volatile highways back to Eastern markets. This layout drives up logistics expenses, completely wiping out the macro efficiencies celebrated in recent National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) trade surplus figures. The next institutional hurdle for the Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, is the implementation of a unified, cooperative Port development strategy. This requires more than just launching an electronic call-up system; it demands a deliberate re-alignment of tariff structures that actively incentivizes shipping consortia to divert traffic to regional hubs. Ultimately, a Port system is only as strong as its weakest link. Celebrating the World Bank validation of Apapa and Tin Can is fair, but treating it as a nationwide victory is premature. Until the institutional bottlenecks, channel depths, and security challenges of the Eastern Corridor seaports are solved with the same urgency applied to Lagos, Nigeria’s maritime sector will continue running on half its cylinders. True maritime competitiveness is not won by building an elite logistics island in one state, but by unlocking the full economic potentials of the nation’s entire coastline. Chief Ibrahim Nasiru, a Public Affairs Analyst writes from Abuja
…As 50 Graduate from NCCSC Gwagwalada BY FUNMI ALUKO The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has graduated 50 officers from the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC), Gwagwalada, with two officers from the...
BY KESSIENA SHEPHERDS The Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, under the dynamic stewardship of its Acting Rector, Dr. Kevin Okonna, has once again demonstrated its...
BY EGUONO ODJEGBA When Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and immediate past President General of the Maritime Workers Union of...
BY FUNMI ALUKO In a landmark move to bolster international trade and security, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has signed a Joint Declaration with the Customs Administration of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, aimed at strengthening cooperation in trade facilitation, border security, and the fight against transnational organised crime. The agreement according to a release signed on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs by the Service Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada PhD, was formalised on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, in Brussels, with Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, and the Director-General of Netherlands Customs, Mrs Nanette Van Schelven, appending their signatures. Maiwada who is a Deputy Comptroller of Customs explained that the milestone follows a series of high-level engagements, including Nigeria’s bilateral visit to the Netherlands in October 2025 and a reciprocal visit by Dutch officials to Nigeria in March 2026. He further explained that the key areas of collaboration include: Trade facilitation: Streamlining cargo clearance systems and promoting fair trade practices. Border security: Enhancing risk management and supply chain security. Capacity building: Training, knowledge sharing, and institutional development. Intelligence sharing: Strengthening enforcement cooperation and compliance management. Combatting illicit trade: Addressing trafficking in narcotics, counterfeit goods, wildlife products, and weapons. The declaration, Maiwada said recognises Nigeria’s role as West Africa’s leading economy and a vital trading partner of the Netherlands. Both administrations acknowledged that customs cooperation is essential to facilitating legitimate trade while countering illegal cross-border activities. Concerns highlighted include the growing threats of drug trafficking, counterfeit goods, wildlife smuggling, and arms proliferation, which demand coordinated international responses. The event also highlighted the leadership perspectives to the issues of mutual interests, as CGC Adewale Adeniyi described the alliance as “a significant milestone in the Service’s international cooperation agenda”, noting that it will strengthen intelligence sharing, enforcement effectiveness, and supply chain security. This is even as Mrs Nanette Van Schelven emphasised that both countries face similar challenges in today’s interconnected trading environment, adding that closer collaboration will promote mutual learning and operational efficiency. Providing a broad future outlook, the declaration committed both parties to the following: Developing a joint work plan for structured cooperation. Enhancing border efficiency and transparent trade processes. Deepening collaboration through training and expertise exchange. Building frameworks to tackle both legal and illegal cross-border movements. The alliance signals a new era of customs modernisation and international cooperation, positioning Nigeria and the Netherlands as partners in securing global trade routes while promoting economic growth.
…Challenges Industry Media on Professionalism BY FUNMI ALUKO The newly appointed Area Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tin Can Island Port Command, Comptroller Joe Anani, has pledged to tackle the notorious Apapa–Mile 2 port corridor traffic gridlock while calling on maritime journalists to uphold the highest standards of professionalism in their reportage. Speaking during his maiden interactive session with the maritime press on Wednesday, June 23, 2026, Anani emphasized that inaccurate publications can cause costly damages, stressing the need for ethical and responsible journalism. He assured the media of strong partnership, transparency, and continuous engagement throughout his tenure. In his address, Anani described the press as a “strategic partner” in shaping public understanding, promoting accountability, and enhancing compliance within the maritime ecosystem. He promised timely and accurate information flow, while announcing plans for structured training, sensitization workshops, and capacity-building programs to empower journalists covering the port command. “Responsible journalism is critical to maintaining public trust, preventing misinformation, and ensuring that our collective objectives are not undermined by inaccurate or misleading narratives,” he said. Fielding questions on the resurgence of traffic congestion along the Apapa–Mile 2 corridor, Anani disclosed that the Command is already engaging stakeholders to reverse the development. He revealed that discussions have been held with Five Star Logistics, whose terminal operations were linked to the road blockage due to delayed truck access. “I have spoken with them and they have pledged to hasten the process to allow the trucks come in. So, I believe that this issue will go away very soon,” Anani assured. On his operational strategy, Anani acknowledged that the groundwork laid by his immediate predecessors, retired DCG Dera Nnadi and ACG Frank Onyeka were solid framework to build on. He noted that the administrative and operational structures are already in place, describing his role as “being at the driver’s seat, at full alert” to ensure faithful implementation. Highlighting the Command’s performance, Anani disclosed that Tin Can Island Port Command generated over ₦111.2 billion in revenue in May, reflecting improved compliance levels and operational efficiency. He however pledged strict adherence to import regulations and total compliance with the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023. He also expressed gratitude to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for the confidence reposed in him, promising to consolidate on existing gains and surpass previous achievements. To further cement ties with the press, Anani announced that the Public Relations Unit of the Command will prioritize media engagement, ensuring timely information dissemination and fostering mutual understanding. “Together, we can ensure that Tin Can Island Port Command continues to play its critical role in national growth, trade facilitation, and revenue generation,” he declared.