Marking a landmark milestone for the Nation’s Maritime Ecosystem, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Governing Board Chairman, H.E. Dr. Ibrahim Shehu Shema, CON, declared that intensified engagement with service providers will unlock a new era of transformative growth across Nigeria’s maritime sector
This was contained in a statement issued by NSC’s Head of Public Relations, Rebecca Adamu. Board Chairman H.E. Dr. Ibrahim Shehu Shema, CON, stated this as Executive Secretary/CEO Dr. Pius Akutah, MON, led the Council’s Board and management on courtesy visits to CMA CGM and APM Terminals in Apapa, Lagos, on Thursday, April 16. He noted that service providers are pivotal in achieving the Federal Government’s trillion-dollar economy goal.
In a move to safeguard Nigeria’s energy future, Dr. Shema urged port operators to expedite power project clearances, warning that delays today will jeopardize the critical investments needed for the electricity sector’s growth.
Stressing that port efficiency is the backbone of infrastructure delivery, he emphasized a new mandate for terminal operators: prioritize the clearance of critical power generation, transmission, and distribution hardware.
Warning against operational delays, the Chairman stated that cargo clearance bottlenecks threaten to derail the Federal Government’s power sector reforms. He noted that meeting critical project timelines depends entirely on achieving seamless port logistics.
He reiterated that stronger policy coordination is vital for value-chain collaboration, adding that streamlining operations would boost trade volumes and significantly scale government revenue.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary/CEO of the NSC lauded operators for their ongoing modernization efforts, which have improved both cargo handling efficiency and vessel turnaround times.
He noted that export volumes are hitting impressive heights, as some operators record a significant thirty percent growth. This surge, he said, is proof that Nigeria is moving decisively toward a more balanced trade mix.
Strengthening regulatory oversight, Dr. Akutah said the NSC Board and Management paid targeted visits to terminal operators and shipping companies to inspect and evaluate their service delivery standards.
In response, the Managing Director of CMA CGM, Hinelder Ferreira, said that operators are committed to efficient service delivery through fully digitalized processes.
APM Terminals Managing Director Kamal Alhraishat highlighted the company’s vision for long-term investment, attributing their operational milestones to a relentless focus on digitalization and infrastructure upgrades.
