General
FG Blames Poor Management for Apapa Port Congestion
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has said terminal operators responsible for the inefficiency of the Apapa Port must work towards its total reconstruction and reorganisation.
This was made by the Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, citing the drastic change in the Port on the day the President visited to commission the Deep Blue Project.
“I was in the train with the president on that day and noticed that everything had disappeared, even inside the port that looked like a marketplace was very well organized, no persons were found loitering about, no trucks. What it shows is that the problem of the seaport is the problem of efficiency.
“If they had the capacity in just one night, because I was there the previous evening, and when I came back in the morning, everything had disappeared; If that can happen in one night, it means that the problem is management, nothing else.
“Do we need to wait for the President to come before we can be efficient?” Mr Amaechi queried.
“What I’ve done was to have a meeting with the terminal operators, and I told them that they have to contribute to the reconstruction of the Apapa Seaport.
“We must rebuild the Apapa Seaport, taking into cognizance all the issues that we are seeing now that is frustrating the seaport, like where do you park the trucks, how many trucks are coming into the seaport at what point in time?
“How can a person come into the seaport who has no business being there, what is he doing at the seaport? The seaport is a security area and it is not for everybody, even me, after my tenure as Minister, I’m not entitled to go into the seaport unless I have business in the seaport,” he added.
The Minister noted that the Ministry of Transportation will partner with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to solve the problem, adding that freighting of cargoes from the seaport through the rail, when it begins, will also help in arresting the situation at the port.
“We are going to partner with customs because they are largely involved. Between them and the NPA, they are the operators (or regulators) of the Seaport and see how to arrest this situation. I believe that when we begin to freight cargoes from the seaport through the rail, we’ll reduce some of the challenges that we have at the seaport,’ he said.
Mr Amaechi also said the recently launched Deep Blue Project is overseen by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in partnership with the Ministry of Defence, would not only boost security in the country’s waters but will also improve trade in the Gulf of Guinea and reduce the cost of production for the oil industry while improving revenue for Nigeria’s economy.
“Before we came, various contractors were contracted to provide security for oil companies in the water. There was a case between the government and OMSL in which the company provides about three or four boats to the Navy and they collect $2,500 per vessel for the first day and $1,500 for about 30 days.
In a year, like in 2020, they made about $67 million, and when you hand over the security of a country to individuals, it becomes very challenging and irresponsible. So, the president kindly approved that the police, army, air force, and other security agencies should be involved in providing security with the equipment that we have provided.
“We have about three helicopters, two fixed-wing planes, 17 interceptor boats, two vessels, drones, and more; what it does is that it gives you information about where the criminals are, those who go and destroy pipes just because they are looking for oil to bunker. It provides you that information, then you deter them or arrest them.
“So, we are able to provide security in the coastal region, both on land and on the sea. Now, those who provide the coastal security on land will be the Nigerian Army and the Police, and we’ve provided them with all the necessary tools they need.
“We have ammunitions, we have vehicles, like Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and all that for patrol by the coast. All that, we believe will begin to yield fruits between now and next year.”
He added that by the time the government provide the necessary maritime security, the economy will improve as a result of more money coming into the economy through oil.
“That’s the impact it will have when it comes to the Deep Blue project. In fact, the Israelis who did the training said in 6 months to 1 year, if there is no improvement in the economy in terms of how much comes in, both to NIMASA, NPA, and the oil industry, come back to us and we’ll be willing to refund.
“But you know it is simple mathematics; It is true that the moment you can take away the criminals from the water, and the contractors from the water, then the cost of security which is borne either by NNPC or the oil companies will be part of what will come back to us as income. Then on land, in all our rail and train coaches, you have enough armed policemen in any trip we are making to withstand any criminal attack.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
High-impact sectors, including agriculture, wholesale and retail, will see double digit increases with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) across Africa by 2035.
This is according to a new report by the African Development Bank (AfDB) developed under the G20 Digital Transformation Working Group, Africa’s AI Productivity Gain: Pathways to Labour Efficiency, Economic Growth and Inclusive Transformation, which establishes a strategic roadmap for unlocking the economic and social potential of AI across the continent.
The study, carried out by consulting firm Bazara Tech, finds that inclusive AI deployment could generate up to $1 trillion in additional GDP by 2035 equivalent to nearly one-third of the continent’s current economic output.
The report added that this is underpinned by Africa’s growing digital capacity, favorable demographics, and ongoing sectoral reforms, making it one of the most promising regions for AI-driven growth globally.
According to the report the AI dividend is expected to be concentrated in select high-impact sectors, rather than spread evenly across Africa’s economy. Analysis identified five priority sectors—agriculture (20 per cent), wholesale and retail (14 per cent), manufacturing and Industry 4.0 (9 per cent), finance and inclusion (8 per cent), and health and life sciences (7 per cent)—which together are projected to capture 58 per cent of the total AI gains, or approximately $580 billion by 2035. These sectors combine economic size, readiness to adopt AI, and strong potential to deliver inclusive development outcomes.
“We have set out the key actions in this report, identifying the areas where initial implementation should be focused,” said Mr Nicholas Williams, Manager of the ICT Operations Division at AfDB.
“The bank is ready to release investment to support these actions. We expect the private sector and the government to utilize this investment to ensure we achieve the identified productivity gains and create quality jobs,” he added.
The report also revealed that realising the potential of AI depends on five interlinked enablers: data, compute, skills, trust, and capital. Reliable and interoperable data forms the foundation for AI insights, while scalable compute infrastructure ensures solutions can be deployed efficiently across the continent.
It noted that a skilled workforce is essential to develop, implement, and maintain AI systems, and trust built through governance, and regulatory frameworks underpins adoption.
The report also noted that the enablers, together with adequate capital investment to de-risk innovation and accelerate deployment, would “foster a cycle of AI-driven growth.”
The report also outlines a three-phase roadmap toward Africa’s AI readiness: ignition (2025-27), consolidation (2028-31) and scale (2032-35).
“Achieving early milestones by 2026 will set Africa’s AI flywheel in motion,” said Mr Ousmane Fall, Director of Industrial and Trade Development at the bank. “Africa’s challenge is no longer what to do — it is doing it on time.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has clarified that the crude oil vessel, MV Skipper, intercepted by the United States Coast Guard, in collaboration with the US Navy for its alleged involvement in crude oil theft and other transnational crimes is not registered in Nigeria.
NIMASA said the Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) SKIPPER with IMO Number 9304667 is not a Nigerian-flagged vessel, and its purported owners, Thomarose Global Ventures Limited, are not registered with NIMASA as a shipping company.
An analysis of the vessel’s movement carried out NIMASA through its Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence (C4i) Centre showed that the facility was last sighted on Nigerian waters on July 1, 2024.
“After departing Nigerian waters, the vessel continued on its international voyage pattern and was tracked operating in the Arabian Sea (Asia) and later in the Caribbean region, where the US interdiction eventually took place.
“Records indicate that SKIPPER, which was formerly owned by Triton Navigation Corp, has undergone multiple name changes over time.
The Director General of NIMASA, Mr Dayo Mobereola, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to collaborate with all relevant stakeholders, including US authorities, in the ongoing investigations, noting that in a statement that criminality will not be tolerated on Nigerian waters.
Last week, US forces seized an oil tanker carrying a Panama flag believed to be the VLCC Skipper, after satellite imagery showed the vessel secretly loading over 1.8 million barrels of sanctioned Merey crude at Venezuela’s José Terminal.
The vessel had been transmitting falsified AIS positions during the operation, a tactic increasingly used by “dark fleet” tankers tied to Venezuelan and Iranian trades. It was later revealed that the seized tanker Skipper, was carrying crude contracted by Cubametales, Cuba’s state-run oil trading firm.
The seizure of the sanctioned oil tanker has sharply escalated tensions between the US and Venezuela. The US government also said it is preparing to intercept more ships transporting Venezuelan oil.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, “to immediately enforce the judgment compelling and directing him and president Bola Tinubu to widely publish the names of those indicted in the alleged misappropriation of N6 trillion meant to implement the abandoned 13,777 projects and in the running of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) between 2000 and 2019.”
The judgment was delivered on Monday, November 10, 2025, by Justice Gladys Olotu following a Freedom of Information suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/1360/2021 brought by SERAP.
The court also ordered Mr Fagbemi and the president “to publish and make available to the public the NDDC forensic audit report submitted to the federal government on September 2, 2021.”
In the letter dated December 13, 2025 and signed by SERAP deputy director, Mr Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “The continuing failure and/or refusal to publicly acknowledge the judgment and immediately enforce it makes a mockery of the country’s legal and judicial processes and the rule of law.”
It warned that the ongoing failure and/or refusal to enforce the judgment is a fundamental breach of both the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution and a direct assault on the rule of law.
“Obeying the judgment would reinforce the primacy of the Nigerian Constitution, and the country’s international obligations and show respect for the rule of law.
“The Attorney General is the Chief Law Officer of the Federation and as such has the responsibility to uphold the Nigerian Constitution, advise the government to ensure that its actions conform with judicial decisions, obey the rule of law and generally act in the public interest,” it disclosed.
The group noted that, “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider pursuing contempt proceedings against you to compel you to uphold the Nigerian Constitution and the rule of law.”
“SERAP notes the recent public commitments by President Tinubu to ‘improve the welfare of the Niger Delta region and address the challenges facing the region.’ Immediately enforcing the NDDC judgment would ensure the fulfilment of these commitments,” it concluded.
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