Automation of demurrage, freight, charter party verification saved Nigeria N31b – Shipper’s Council Boss
By Seun Ibiyemi
The Federal Government saved more than N31 billion between January and June 2024 by automating the verification of demurrage charges, freight rates, and charter party agreements.
This was disclosed by the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Pius Akutah, during the ongoing 2025 Sectoral Retreat of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy. Akutah used the platform to advocate for urgent policy overhauls and sustained access to statutory funding to strengthen the sector.
He also presented the Council’s recent accomplishments, which include the commissioning of the Funtua Inland Dry Port, a strong performance in the 2024 ICPC Ethics and Integrity Scorecard, the rollout of online registration platforms for port users and service providers, and near-completion of the Trade and Transport Data Bank project.
Akutah called for expedited legislative action on the Nigerian Port Regulatory Agency Bill, describing it as critical to effective regulation and oversight in the maritime sector.
Declaring the retreat open, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, said the sector now stands as a central pillar of the Federal Government’s economic strategy. He urged agencies under the ministry to demonstrate clear improvements in service delivery and tangible outcomes.
Oyetola recounted several milestones achieved over the past year, such as the upgrade of port infrastructure, consistent gains in port efficiency, advancements on the National Single Window initiative, and the launch of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund disbursement. He noted that the recent approval of the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy signals a pivotal step forward in the sector’s development.
He identified key priorities for driving transformation, including collaboration between agencies, adoption of digital systems, sound governance, and a focus on environmental sustainability.
As discussions continue at the retreat, agency leaders are signing performance bonds tied to defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), signalling a collective pledge to transparency and measurable results.
