Nigeria on Tuesday recorded another major step in its drive toward a fully digital public service as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola , jointly launched the Nigerian Shippers’ Council’s Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) in Abuja.
The event, attended by top government officials including the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, showcased the Federal Government’s commitment to modernising operations in the maritime and blue economy sector and boosting Nigeria’s competitiveness in global trade.
Senator Akume praised Dr. Oyetola for what he described as “effective leadership” that recently secured Nigeria’s election into Category C of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council. He said the new ECMS would significantly cut bureaucratic delays, improve transparency, and strengthen digital governance across ministries and agencies.
Dr. Oyetola, in his remarks, said the launch marked “a defining moment” in the nation’s journey toward a modern, technology-driven maritime administration. He noted that the system aligns with global best practices and supports the Ministry’s strategic push to make Nigeria a more efficient maritime hub.
According to him, automated approvals, centralised information management, and real-time workflow tracking will drastically improve service delivery and reduce turnaround time across port operations.
The Minister also highlighted broader maritime reforms under the current administration, including the clearance of the Apapa gridlock, the approval of a comprehensive port modernisation programme, and the rollout of Inland Dry Ports across the six geopolitical zones.
Delivering her keynote address, Mrs. Walson-Jack reaffirmed the government’s target of transitioning to a fully digital and paperless public service by the end of 2025.
She commended the Shippers’ Council for taking early steps to comply with the Presidential directive on digital records management, calling the ECMS “a strong signal of institutional readiness for the future of governance.”
Earlier, the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Dr. Akutah Pius Ukeyima, described the ECMS as a major pillar of the Council’s digitalisation agenda.
He said the system is designed to eliminate manual file movement, reduce administrative bottlenecks, and enhance information security ultimately strengthening the agency’s regulatory efficiency.
Dr. Akutah thanked the SGF, the Minister, the Head of Service, stakeholders, and the Council’s internal teams for their support.
He urged staff to fully adopt the platform, describing it as “the new operational backbone” of a modern, paperless regulatory institution.
The event drew participants from the public sector, the organised private sector, and key players in the maritime and logistics industry.
