| Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council, Barr Pius Akutah (4th from left, front row) in a group photograph with senior management staff of the Council at an event to mark his one year in office in Lagos on Sunday. |
... Highlights Achievements One Year After Appointment
By Ewrhujakpor Godfrey Bivbere
Harboursandport.com: Lagos - November 3, 2024: Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC, Barr. Pius Akutah has said that the Council will work towards making Nigeria Africa's Maritime Logistics Hub.
Akutah who disclosed this in Lagos at an event to mark his one year in office on Sunday November 3, also highlighted some of the Council's achievements under his leadership.
At the event which was graced by industry bigwigs, the Shippers Council boss said that the Council is exploring partnerships with major global shipping companies to invest in Nigeria's facilities as well as to support the Council's vision.
According to him, “We are exploring partnerships with major global shipping companies to invest in Nigeria’s facilities and support this vision. We have extracted commitments from some of these companies, and we expect to make real progress over the next year,” he revealed.
One of the critical areas that the Council intends to address in the coming year according to him, is maritime logistics and infrastructure.
“The shipping subsector of this economy is crucial, our ports are dependent on the arrival of ships, so our partnership with shipping companies is vital for trade and economic growth. Right now, connectivity within the African region remains a major challenge.
"Goods often have to route through Europe before reaching other African destinations, which increases both time and cost.”
Speaking on the achievements of the Council under his leadership, Akutah said “In the last year, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council has made significant strides towards transforming the maritime sector. We have managed to push forward initiatives that many stakeholders consider critical to the progress of our sector.”
On the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill, the Shippers Council boss said it's “one noble objective needed to bring about the efficiency of this sector that has eluded us over the years.
“By the grace of God, I believe that in the coming weeks, the Senate will give its concurrence, and we will then await Mr. President’s assent. This bill is a major initiative that will reposition our sector for economic growth, job creation, and other sectoral achievements.”
Recall that the bill, which has been passed by the House of Representatives and is awaiting Senate concurrence, is designed to fortify Nigeria’s maritime sector through comprehensive regulatory reform.
He also stressed the importance of Nigeria exploiting the African Free Continental Trade Area (AfCFTA), which he noted has opened the African market to over 1.5 billion people with a combined market size of over $4 trillion.
He also disclosed that the Council’s Compliance Unit's efforts have saved Nigeria approximately N6 billion, funds that otherwise would have been lost to legal disputes and stalled operations.
“Through our conflict resolution mechanism, we have avoided costly disruptions. This work has not only improved the quality of trade but also saved our economy,” he said.
Amongst those that attended the event were the President General of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, MSC Shipping Deputy Managing Director, Jacob Iosso, Chairman of Shipping Companies Association of Nigeria, SCAN, Boma Alabi SAN, President of the Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON), Lagos Chairman of Nigerian Union of Journalists, Mr Adeleye Ajayi among others.
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