PortNews Port Reforms Summit Excites Maritime Stakeholders

The much anticipated PortNews “Port Reforms Summit” which holds on Wednesday, December 4, 2024 Rockview Hotel, Apapa, Lagos, has been generating interest amongst stakeholders in the maritime industry.

The theme of the Summit: Port Reforms and Local Content, Has Nigeria Fared Well? has in the past two weeks been the focus of discourse among the generality of port users and key maritime stakeholders.This underscores the importance of the issue at stake to the industry in particular and Nigeria in general.

Any policy or programme of government is liable to be reviewed after 15 to 20 years. Is it functioning or delivering targeted goals?

The Summit will review the port reforms undertaken by the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo between 2002 and 2006 which culminated in the concession of NPA port terminals to local and foreign private investors.

According to a statement, stakeholders from the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Barge Operators Association of Nigeria, Association of indigenous Bonded Terminals Association and long standing maritime journalists are all excited about expected posers, anecdotes, questions, answers and resolutions gravitating around port operations, cargo management, container transfer from ports to off dock terminals, the mushrooming of terminals around Lagos, Badagry, Epe and lkorodu creeks.

Why are terminals owned by Nigerians empty? Who really owns the cargo? How do we situate the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in this dispensation?

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, former federal Minister, Captain Emmanuel lhenacho, and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State will all be seated to listen to Guest Speaker and respected human rights activist and maritime lawyer, Dr Olisa Agbakoba’s perspectives on this topic. A former Director General of Lagos Chambers of Commerce and lndustries and brilliant economist, Dr Muda Yusuf is the other Guest Speaker.

Wednesday, 4th December, promises to be a watershed in Nigeria’s maritime calendar.