Category: Government

Akutah: NPERA to Drive $1tn Economy, Tasks Staff on New Mandate, Pledges Agency Harmony

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The pioneer Director General (DG) of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), Dr Akutah Pius Ukeyima, MON, FCILT, has charged the workforce to ditch old habits and embrace a culture of unalloyed commitment as the newly minted regulatory powerhouse takes charge of the nation’s maritime gateways. Addressing a high-stakes town hall meeting at the agency’s Lagos headquarters, Dr Akutah declared that transitioning from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to NPERA is not just a change of name, but a call for a radical shift in operational mindset to deliver bulletproof…

Steering Maritime Wealth: IMION Opens Portal for 3-Day Executive Programme

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The International Maritime Institute of Nigeria (IMION)—the Nigerian Navy’s premier research institute and think-tank—is set to host a high-level executive course to advance strategic knowledge, research, and policy across Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea. In a recently released statement, the International Maritime Institute of Nigeria (IMION) announced its upcoming Executive Course on Logistics and Trade Facilitation for Blue Economy Growth. The official briefing was shared by Bashir Ambi, Ph.D, FNIPR, FCILT, the institution’s Head of Communications and Marketing. This exclusive programme is specifically designed for C-Suite executives, policymakers, and…

AIG Maritime Vows Strict Accountability During IMAN Visit

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The Assistant Inspector-General of Police for the Maritime Police Command, AIG Okunade Ronke Nurat, has pledged an unyielding commitment to transparency, professional ethics, and active stakeholder collaboration across Nigeria’s territorial waters. According to a statement released on Friday, August 21, 2026, by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Adebayo Rasheed Adesayo, the AIG gave the assurance during a strategic working meeting with a delegation from the Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN), South-West Zone, led by its Chairman, Mr. Joseph Ajoku, at the Force Headquarters Annex in Lagos. Addressing the delegation,…

NMNTDs Urges Bauchi Assembly to Tackle Gender Barriers to Malaria Care

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By: Bashir Hassan Abubakar The National Lead, Nigeria Malaria and NTDs Youth Corps (NMNTDs), Mr. Promise Given, has urged the Bauchi State House of Assembly to take action against gender barriers limiting access to malaria prevention and treatment. The team lead made the call during a high-level advocacy engagement with lawmakers, where findings from Miri and Siyi communities revealed disparities affecting vulnerable groups, particularly children under five, adolescent girls and persons with disabilities. He called on the Assembly to champion gender-responsive health programmes, ensure timely budgetary support and strengthen legislation…

US-INL Pledges Expanded Support Amid NDLEA Successes; Marwa Reveals US Gear Exposed Ogun Fentanyl Lab

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In a fresh wave of international acclaim for Nigeria’s anti-narcotics campaign, the United States International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Bureau (US-INL) has lauded the recent high-octane operational breakthroughs of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), vowing to scale up existing bilateral ties. The high-level endorsement was contained in a statement released on Thursday, August 20, 2026, by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi. According to Babafemi, the commendation was delivered by the incoming INL Country Director in Nigeria, Mr. Derek Tolliver. Tolliver led a visiting delegation…

Bauchi Disability Law: Media Charged to Amplify Voices, Demand Accountability

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By: Bashir Hassan Abubakar Media practitioners have been urged to play a more active role in advancing disability rights and tracking the implementation of the Bauchi State Persons with Disabilities Commission Law. Speaking at a media roundtable organized by the IKRA Foundation for Women and Youth Development, development journalist Bashir Hassan Abubakar emphasized that disability must be framed as a human rights and inclusion issue rather than one of charity. The event, supported by the Global Affairs Canada, under PLAN International’s ASPIRE Project, brought together stakeholders to address implementation gaps,…

Women Rights Groups Condemn Bayelsa Gov Over Removal of Sagbama Council Chairman

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By: Prosper Okoye The Women for 35% Initiative of Aju Morgan Elumelu Foundation has joined several other pro-women and rights groups to strongly condemn what it described as the “purported impeachment” of Hon. Mrs. Alice Tangi Allen, the Executive Chairman of Sagbama Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.Rather than an impeachment, the pro-women initiative said the action should be seen for what it is: ‘a military coup executed by Governor Douye Diri, hiding behind the smokescreen provided by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly. The Foundation said the purported impeachment of…

Maritime Boom: NPERA Act Brings Succour to Investors, Triggers Sector Growth

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The Chairman of the NPERA Governing Board, His Excellency Ibrahim Shema, and the Director General/CEO of the former Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Pius Akutah Ukeyima, MON, have highlighted the monumental economic impact of Nigeria’s newly minted port regulator. Speaking in Lagos at a high-profile event celebrating the recent presidential assent, Shema declared that the new agency establishes a permanent statutory framework for port economic regulation. This legislative bedrock is specifically engineered to drive transparency, ignite fair competition, maximize operational efficiency, and pull in massive foreign investment. Under this new…

IMION Opens Portal for 3-Day Executive Logistics and Blue Economy Training Programme

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…. Three-Day Capacity-Building Series Sets Industry Benchmark for Maritime Leaders and Supply Chain Stakeholders Across Nigeria The International Maritime Institute of Nigeria (IMION) has officially opened its registration portal. This portal hosts the 3-Day Executive Training Programme. The initiative focuses on logistics and trade facilitation. It aims to drive sustainable blue economy growth. Maritime executives, government policymakers, other critical stakeholders, etc will gain advanced regional trade tools through this course. The training also empowers customs officers, private sector stakeholders, state governments, and supply chain professionals with critical industry skills. The…

N39bn Cocaine, Luxury Cars Seized: KC Luxury Group CEO Detained as NDLEA Busts Global Syndicate

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In a major breakthrough against transnational narcotics networks, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled an international cocaine trafficking cartel utilizing Nigeria as a strategic transit hub to funnel illicit drugs into the United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia. The sting operation culminated in the arrest of the syndicate’s Nigerian kingpin—a self-styled luxury goods dealer and prominent social media influencer—who was intercepted while attempting to flee the country. In an official statement released on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, it…