Being an address by Akutah Pius Ukeyima, executive secretary/CEO, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), at The ICC Nigeria Post AGM talk held recently at NECA House, Alausa Ikeja, Lagos.
The theme of today’s gathering, ‘Shipping and Maritime Trade: The Backbone of International Trade,’ is not only apt, but pertinent as it underscores the vital role maritime trade plays in facilitating global commerce and sustaining economic growth across nations.
According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), more than 80% of global trade by volume and over 70% by value is carried by sea. This reality underscores the strategic role of shipping in driving cross-border commerce, sustaining global supply chains, and ensuring economic interconnectivity.
According to UNCTAD, in 2023 alone, over 11.1 billion metric tonnes of goods were moved globally via maritime transport, powered by more than 105,000 commercial vessels. From energy to electronics, from raw materials to finished goods, the sea remains the world’s most cost-effective, scalable, and reliable trade conduit.
Figures from the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Bank, indicated that maritime trade indirectly supports 22% of global GDP, accounting for over $24 trillion of the estimated $110 trillion global GDP in 2024.
For Nigeria, a country blessed with over 853 kilometres of coastline, 6 major seaports, 10,000 kilometers of inland waterways, and a dynamic consumer market, shipping is not a peripheral sector, it is a strategic enabler of growth. Our national prosperity is inextricably linked to the performance of the maritime sector. It influences: (i) the cost and flow of imported inputs and exports, (ii) the viability of manufacturing and industrial zones, (iii) overall ease of doing business across our borders, and (iv) competitiveness of Nigerian goods in regional markets.
The maritime industry is therefore not just an economic asset, it is a national development platform driving job creation, facilitating regional integration, supporting industrial growth, and strengthening the country’s strategic position in the global economy.
In recognition of this potential, the Federal Government, under the leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, established the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy with His Excellency, Adegboyega Oyetola CON as pioneer Minister, to fully harness the sector’s vast potential in Nigeria and reposition same as a driver of non-oil growth, innovation, and environmental sustainability.
The Blue Economy represents the sustainable use of ocean and inland water resources to drive economic development while preserving marine ecosystems. It encompasses: Maritime transport and port services, Fisheries and aquaculture, Marine tourism and shipbuilding, Offshore energy and seabed resources, and Coastal resilience and climate adaptation.
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), as a regulatory and facilitative agency under this new Ministry, plays a leading role in: Creating fair and transparent port systems; Promoting environmentally responsible logistics practices; Facilitating cost-effective cargo handling and inland connectivity; and ensuring that all actors in the maritime ecosystem operate by global standards.
African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA): Nigeria’s strategic lever
Intra-African trade currently accounts for less than 18% of the continent’s total trade. However, the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with a market size of 1.4 billion people and a combined GDP of $3.4 trillion, is poised to change that and maritime transport will be the lifeline of AfCFTA’s success.
Nigeria must position itself as the regional hub for transshipment, logistics, and trade facilitation. To do this, we must: Modernize our ports and customs processes; Promote multimodal connectivity from seaports to industrial clusters and border posts; Harmonize tariffs and documentation with neighbouring economies; and Reduce barriers that hinder our exports and transit traffic.
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council is actively supporting these objectives through: Advocacy for seamless cargo corridors; Facilitation of stakeholder compliance with regional trade rules; and Promotion of trade infrastructure that benefits landlocked countries and regional trade routes.
NSC’s core mandate: regulation, facilitation and protection
As the Port Economic Regulator of Nigeria, the NSC is mandated to ensure: Fair pricing and elimination of arbitrary charges; Efficient port operations and service standards; Protection of cargo interest; and Dispute prevention and resolution within the maritime and logistics chain.
-Trade facilitation
We are championing reforms that reduce delays, eliminate inefficiencies, and simplify processes. Key interventions include: Leading the National Single Window (NSW) implementation; Monitoring port performance; Driving process harmonization through the Nigerian Ports Process Manual (NPPM); and collaborating with other MDAs to entrench Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) across ports and terminals.
-Economic regulation and forex protection
The Council evaluates freight rates, terminal charges, and demurrage claims to ensure economic reasonableness. In 2024 alone, we helped prevent the repatriation of about ₦52 billion in questionable foreign exchange claims through our Economic Regulatory Portal (ERP), thus strengthening the national economy and promoting cost predictability.
-Mediation and dispute resolution
Our Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism provides a transparent, time-efficient, and non-adversarial platform to resolve complaints between port users and service providers. In 2024, our intervention led to the recovery of over ₦2 billion for shippers and cargo owners.
-Consumer protection and competition
The NSC enforces rules to prevent monopoly abuse and protect cargo owners, especially MSMEs, from unfair treatment. We investigate complaints, engage stakeholders, and impose necessary regulatory actions to uphold competitive market behaviour.
Digitization and technology: Modernizing the regulatory landscape
Technology is transforming trade and we are responding boldly. Digitization is central to the NSC’s vision of a transparent, responsive, and data-driven regulatory framework. Some of our milestones and ongoing projects include: Full automation of service platforms for registration, tracking, and verification; Real-time online complaint submission and resolution; Integration with port community systems and payment platforms; and Planned deployment of AI and blockchain solutions for regulatory oversight, predictive analytics, and cargo traceability.
Technology is no longer optional. It is the driver of efficiency, transparency, and stakeholder trust.
Ports, infrastructure, and inland connectivity
Modern ports are the new factories. Without efficient cargo evacuation and inland distribution networks, our ports will remain bottlenecks instead of enablers. That is why the Council prioritizes: Development of Inland Dry Ports (IDPs) to serve as satellite cargo hubs in key economic zones like Kaduna, Kano, Aba, Ibadan, Funtua, Jos, and Maiduguri; Promotion of Vehicle Transit Areas (VTAs) to organize haulage traffic and enhance logistics safety; Advocacy for rail-port integration and intermodal linkages to move bulk cargo efficiently; and Support for Border Information Centres (BICs) to guide regional traders on compliance, standards, and AfCFTA protocols.
We are building an integrated logistics system that supports inclusive trade, export diversification, and regional value chain participation.
Conclusion – A call to collaborate for competitiveness
Ladies and gentlemen, as Nigeria aspires to build a $1 trillion economy, we must recognize that no ambition of industrialization, export growth, or economic diversification can succeed without a competitive maritime and logistics system.
At the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, we are redefining regulation, not as control, but as empowerment, transparency, and protection. We are building partnerships that support public goals and private investment. We are deepening institutional reforms to attract innovation and foster trust.
Let us therefore work together, across government, private sector, and development partners, to build a shipping and maritime sector that serves not only Nigeria’s present needs, but also its future as a regional leader and global trade player.
In that spirit, I extend a warm invitation to the International Chamber of Commerce (Nigeria) to consider the Nigerian Shippers’ Council as a strategic partner. Our shared values around fair trade, efficient logistics, and private sector development makes us natural allies. Together, we can build frameworks that not only strengthen Nigeria’s trade ecosystem, but contribute meaningfully to global standards, resilience, and growth.
