Ships & Ports

Tinubu Woos Investors as APM Terminals Commits $600m to Apapa Port Upgrade

Global port operator APM Terminals has unveiled plans to invest an additional $600 million in Nigeria, signalling renewed investor confidence in the country’s maritime and logistics sector.

The announcement was made during a bilateral meeting with President Bola Tinubu on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, on Thursday.

https://shipsandports.com.ng/tinubu-woos-investors-as-apm-terminals-commits-600m-to-apapa-port-upgrade/

Customs CG Confirms Killing of Two Officers by Terrorists in Kebbi

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has confirmed the killing of two Customs officers by Lakurawa terrorists in Kebbi State.

Adeniyi disclosed that the officers, identified as ASC Bamigboye and DSC Dom, were killed in the early hours of Wednesday while repelling attacks by the terrorist group around 3 a.m.
https://shipsandports.com.ng/customs-cg-confirms-killing-of-two-officers-by-terrorists-in-kebbi/

Maryland Secures Record $2.25bn Settlement Over Baltimore Bridge Disaster

The State of Maryland has finalised a record-breaking $2.25bn settlement with the owner and operator of the containership M/V Dali, marking the largest legal recovery in maritime history following the catastrophic collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The agreement resolves claims brought by Maryland against Singapore-based Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Pte. Ltd., the owner and operator of the vessel that struck the bridge on 26 March 2024, triggering its collapse and killing six construction workers...

https://shipsandports.com.ng/maryland-secures-record-2-25bn-settlement-over-baltimore-bridge-disaster/

CMA CGM Eyes $820m Investment to Expand Kenya’s Mombasa Port

French shipping giant CMA CGM is set to invest $820 million to expand and modernise two terminals at the Port of Mombasa under a new cooperation agreement with the Kenyan government signed during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi earlier this week.

The deal, signed on the sidelines of the summit co-hosted by France and attended by French President Emmanuel Macron, marks one of the biggest recent foreign investments in Kenya’s maritime infrastructure...

https://shipsandports.com.ng/cma-cgm-eyes-820m-investment-to-expand-kenyas-mombasa-port/

Suspected Lakurawa Gunmen Allegedly Kill Two Customs Officers in Kebbi

Gunmen suspected to be members of the Lakurawa group have allegedly killed two Customs officers during an attack on security checkpoints in Tuga community, Bagudu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

The attack reportedly took place in the early hours of Wednesday when the assailants stormed two checkpoints in the area, catching security personnel off guard...

https://shipsandports.com.ng/suspected-lakurawa-gunmen-allegedly-kill-two-customs-officers-in-kebbi/

Customs, NDLEA Seize ₦16.6bn Cannabis Haul at Tin Can Port

The Nigeria Customs Service and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted 8,347 packages of Cannabis Indica weighing 4,173.5 kilogrammes and valued at ₦16.6 billion at Tin Can Island Port in Lagos.

The seizure came barely two weeks after both agencies uncovered another 4,729-kilogramme cannabis shipment worth ₦18.96 billion at the same port.

https://shipsandports.com.ng/customs-ndlea-seize-%e2%82%a616-6bn-cannabis-haul-at-tin-can-port/

Tinubu Charts Africa’s Blue Economy Future, Says Piracy Eliminated in Nigerian Waters

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday declared that Africa must move from “sea blindness” to “ocean sovereignty,” positioning maritime governance and security as the foundation for unlocking the continent’s blue economy potential.

Speaking at the High-Level Roundtable on Maritime Sovereignty and Ocean Governance during the Africa Forward Summit 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya, on Tuesday, President Tinubu said Nigeria had transformed its maritime strategy from one focused largely on threats to one centred on economic opportunity, regional security and investment.

https://shipsandports.com.ng/tinubu-charts-africas-blue-economy-future-says-piracy-eliminated-in-nigerian-waters/

Oyetola Takes Nigeria’s Blue Economy Campaign to Africa Forward Summit

Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, took Nigeria’s Blue Economy campaign to the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, where he participated in a high-level panel discussion on “Blue Economy — Maritime Sovereignty & Sustainable Valorization.”

The summit brought together African leaders, policymakers, investors and development partners to advance discussions on innovation, economic growth and strategic partnerships across the continent. The panel session also featured the French Minister of the Sea and Fisheries, Catherine Chabaud, alongside other distinguished maritime stakeholders from across Africa.

https://shipsandports.com.ng/oyetola-takes-nigerias-blue-economy-campaign-to-africa-forward-summit/

The Rise and Transition to Glory of NPA’s Paul (Texas) Erakhifu

From humble beginnings at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) when he was employed on October 17, 1994 (the month of his birth) as a junior staff on Grade Level 3, Paul IkherovbaErakhifu popularly known as “Texas” by dint of diligence, determination, discipline and desire rose to the defining role of senior staff Grade Level 13 in a career marked by sterling contributions and indelible impact till his return to his maker on Friday May 1, 2026.

Although we cannot determine our appointed date of birth and death, we definitely can determine how we want to be remembered, Texas by his uncommon commitment to his craft (photography) and his contagious sense of humor which he generously doled out to all who came in contact with him definitely and intentionally set out to remembered for good...

https://shipsandports.com.ng/the-rise-and-transition-to-glory-of-npas-paul-texas-erakhifu/

Adeniyi Pushes Regional Customs Reforms at WCO Summit in Sierra Leone

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to Customs modernisation and digital trade reforms across West and Central Africa, stressing that stronger regional cooperation is vital to combating illicit trade and boosting economic integration.

Speaking at the 32nd Conference of Directors General of Customs in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Adeniyi said Nigeria’s leadership within the World Customs Organization was driven by collective regional progress rather than national interest. He described the region as a model of unity where leadership rotates among member states regardless of size or economic strength...

https://shipsandports.com.ng/adeniyi-pushes-regional-customs-reforms-at-wco-summit-in-sierra-leone/

US Unveils $65.8bn ‘Golden Fleet’ Plan to Restore Maritime Dominance

The United States Navy has unveiled an ambitious 30-year shipbuilding strategy aimed at dramatically expanding its fleet, reforming naval procurement and reviving America’s maritime industrial base under the Trump administration’s “Golden Fleet” initiative.

At the heart of the Fiscal Year 2027 Shipbuilding Plan is a proposed $65.8 billion investment in shipbuilding, including funding for 34 manned ships and five unmanned platforms in FY2027 alone.

https://shipsandports.com.ng/us-unveils-65-8bn-golden-fleet-plan-to-restore-maritime-dominance/