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Mourinho Eyes Bernabéu Return, Sets Sight on Nigeria’s Osimhen for Real Madrid Rebuild
Mourinho Eyes Bernabéu Return, Sets Sight on Nigeria’s Osimhen for Real Madrid Rebuild
By Joseph Adams | Waterways News Sports Desk | May 14, 2026
José Mourinho, one of football’s most decorated tacticians, is edging closer to a dramatic return to Real Madrid — and Nigeria’s own Victor Osimhen could be at the heart of his ambitious rebuilding plans at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Multiple reports, including the BBC, indicate that the Portuguese manager has emerged as the sole candidate Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez is considering to replace outgoing head coach Álvaro Arbeloa, with talks between the club and Mourinho’s camp advancing rapidly in recent days.
The move comes on the back of a deeply frustrating 2025-26 campaign for the Spanish giants, who ended the season empty-handed — Barcelona claimed the La Liga title, while Real Madrid suffered an early UEFA Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich.
Pérez is said to have first opened the door to Mourinho’s return just two days after Xabi Alonso departed the club earlier this year, and negotiations have since gathered significant momentum.
Mourinho, 63, is currently serving as manager of Portuguese club Benfica, having taken charge last September on a two-year deal. However, his contract reportedly includes a release clause allowing him to exit within 10 days of Benfica’s final league game for approximately €3 million — a window that is fast approaching, with Benfica currently third in the Primeira Liga.
Speaking ahead of Benfica’s last league fixture against Estoril Praia, Mourinho sidestepped questions about his future, saying only that he would address the matter from Monday onwards.
For Nigerian football fans, the most exciting subplot in this saga is Mourinho’s reported interest in Victor Osimhen, the Galatasaray striker who has been one of the most lethal forwards in Europe. Reports indicate Mourinho has already identified the Super Eagles star as the striker he wants leading his attack at the Bernabéu.
The “Special One” has reportedly drawn comparisons between Osimhen and Ivorian legend Didier Drogba — a striker he famously signed and deployed to great effect at Chelsea. Osimhen’s arrival would also, analysts suggest, allow Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Jr. to operate in wider positions where they cause the most damage.
Mourinho previously managed Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013, a period that yielded La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup — cementing his legacy at the club despite a turbulent tenure.
If the deal is confirmed, it would reunite one of the game’s shrewdest managers with one of the world’s biggest clubs — and potentially land Nigeria’s Osimhen at football’s most glamorous address.
Hapag-Lloyd Posts Q1 Loss as Hormuz Blockade, Bad Weather Bite Global Shipping
By Emetena Ikuku | Waterways News Correspondent | May 14, 2026
Global container shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd has recorded a bruising first quarter loss for 2026, as the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and severe weather across major trade corridors hammered freight rates and disrupted supply chains worldwide — developments that carry direct implications for Nigerian importers and the flow of cargo through West African ports.
The Hamburg-based carrier, one of the world’s largest liner shipping companies with a fleet of 302 container vessels and a total capacity of 2.5 million TEU, posted a Group profit of negative USD 256 million (approximately EUR 219 million) for the January-to-March 2026 period. This marks a dramatic reversal from the USD 446 million profit recorded in the same quarter last year.
Group revenues fell by nearly 17 percent to EUR 4.2 billion, while Group EBIT — earnings before interest and taxes — slumped to negative USD 157 million, compared to a positive USD 463 million in Q1 2025.
Hormuz Blockade at the Heart of the Crisis
Central to the shipping line’s poor performance is the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf to global sea lanes. The strait has been virtually closed to commercial traffic since the United States and Israel began military operations against Iran in February 2026. Hundreds of commercial vessels and an estimated 20,000 seafarers have been unable to transit the waterway, forcing carriers to reroute ships on lengthy and costly detours.
Compounding the Hormuz crisis, the Red Sea remains a no-go zone for many carriers due to continued Houthi rebel attacks — a situation that has lingered since late 2023 and pushed shipping lines onto longer Cape of Good Hope routes, adding days and significant operating costs to voyages between Asia and Europe.
For Nigeria and the broader West African sub-region, these disruptions translate to longer transit times, tighter container availability, and sustained pressure on the cost of imported goods — from manufactured products to raw materials and food commodities.
Freight Rates Under Pressure
Average freight rates in the Liner Shipping segment fell to USD 1,330 per TEU in Q1 2026, down from USD 1,471 per TEU in the same period of 2025. Despite this, transport volumes held relatively steady at 3.2 million TEU — indicating that demand remains present, but shippers are unwilling or unable to absorb higher rates in an already squeezed environment.
Liner Shipping segment revenues declined to USD 4.8 billion (EUR 4.1 billion) as a result.
Terminal Segment Offers a Bright Spot
Not all the news was gloomy. The Terminal and Infrastructure segment posted modest growth, with revenues rising to USD 168 million (EUR 144 million) from USD 104 million a year earlier. The improvement was driven by the full consolidation of J M Baxi’s container business and volume growth in Latin America and India. Segment EBITDA rose to USD 47 million, and EBIT reached USD 18 million — a rare area of resilience within an otherwise difficult quarter.
CEO Vows to Stay the Course
Chief Executive Rolf Habben Jansen described the quarter as deeply unsatisfactory but signalled confidence in the company’s long-term strategy.
“The first quarter of 2026 was unsatisfactory for us, with weather-related supply chain disruptions and pressure on freight rates leading to significantly lower results. At the same time, our Gemini network has proven its resilience even under difficult conditions, helping us maintain a reliable service offering for our customers,” Habben Jansen said.
He added that the company remains committed to its Strategy 2030 roadmap and is pressing ahead with a planned merger agreement with Israeli carrier ZIM, which is seen as a key move to strengthen Hapag-Lloyd’s competitive position in an increasingly consolidating global market.
Full-Year Outlook Retained, But Uncertainty Looms
Despite the difficult start to the year, Hapag-Lloyd maintained its full-year 2026 earnings guidance. The company expects Group EBITDA to land between USD 1.1 billion and USD 3.1 billion, and Group EBIT to range between a loss of USD 1.5 billion and a profit of USD 0.5 billion.
However, the company was candid that the forecast carries substantial uncertainty, citing freight rate volatility and the unresolved conflict in the Middle East as the primary risks. The possibility of a full-year operating loss has not been ruled out.
Fellow carrier Maersk — Hapag-Lloyd’s partner under the Gemini Cooperation — similarly reported a collapse in Q1 profits, underlining that the challenges are industry-wide and not isolated to any single player.
Nigeria Watch: What This Means for Nigerian Shippers
For cargo owners, freight forwarders, and port operators in Nigeria, the Q1 results from a bellwether like Hapag-Lloyd serve as a barometer for what lies ahead. Volatile freight rates and rerouted vessels mean unpredictable schedules and elevated logistics costs — challenges that port stakeholders at Apapa, Tin Can Island, and Onne are likely to feel through the second quarter of the year.
With global container lines under pressure and capacity management tightening, Nigerian importers are advised to engage freight partners early, lock in forward bookings where possible, and factor extended transit times into supply chain planning for the months ahead.
Waterways News tracks developments in global and domestic maritime trade. For port updates, shipping intelligence, and maritime policy news, visit waterwaysnews.ng.
Lagos to Host 6th Sea Power for Africa Symposium as Nigerian Navy Marks 70 Years
The convergence of a landmark anniversary and a high-level continental defence forum promises to make Lagos the centre of African maritime discourse in June
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News Correspondent
Lagos will take centre stage in Africa’s maritime security conversation next month as the Nigerian Navy hosts the 6th Sea Power for Africa Symposium (SPAS 2026), running from 1 to 4 June 2026 at the Eko Convention Centre, Victoria Island — coinciding with the Navy’s 70th Anniversary celebrations.
The symposium, themed “Leveraging Technology for Enhanced Maritime Security in Africa,” will bring together Chiefs of Naval Staff, coast guard commanders, senior naval officers, defence ministers, policymakers and industry leaders from across Africa and the wider world.
Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, Chief of the Naval Staff, in his welcome message described the event as “highly important,” noting that it would provide a platform for naval leaders to engage in strategic discussions on deploying technology to address regional maritime challenges, share operational insights and strengthen cooperative security frameworks across Africa’s seas.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who will attend as Special Guest of Honour, is expected to lend significant political weight to the occasion. The President has described the Nigerian Navy as “the guardian of our waters,” stressing the force’s role in safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain and securing the country’s economic future.
What the Symposium Covers
SPAS 2026 builds on the 2024 edition held in South Africa and will feature a two-day high-level regional conference, a two-day international exhibition, a VIP cocktail reception, an International Fleet Review (IFR), and a ceremonial awards dinner.
Key thematic areas include regional maritime security cooperation and interoperability, naval capability development and fleet modernisation, maritime domain awareness and digital transformation, governance and rule of law at sea, and public-private partnerships in maritime security. Implementation of the Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS 2050) will also be a central focus.
Notable discussants confirmed for the symposium include Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, Chief of the South African Navy; Rear Admiral Mohamed Tahin, Inspector of the Royal Moroccan Navy; and Dr Paul Adalikwu, Secretary General of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA). Three former Nigerian Chiefs of Naval Staff — Vice Admirals EI Ogalla, DJ Ezeoba and AZ Gambo — will serve as moderators.
Wide International Participation
Delegations from more than 30 countries are expected to attend, reflecting the growing importance of coordinated maritime governance across the continent. The event will also feature an international exhibition showcasing the latest naval equipment, surveillance systems and maritime technologies.
Among the sponsors are defence and technology firms including CATIC and STM, alongside industry players from across the global maritime security sector.
Why It Matters for Nigeria’s Waterways
For a country whose economic lifeline runs through the Gulf of Guinea — one of the world’s busiest and most piracy-prone shipping corridors — forums like SPAS carry direct relevance to Nigeria’s inland and coastal waterway operators, port administrators and maritime trade stakeholders.
The symposium’s focus on technology-driven surveillance, fleet modernisation and interoperability across African navies is expected to generate policy outcomes that could influence how maritime threats are countered in Nigerian waters and beyond.
Complimentary delegate passes are available for navy personnel, government officials, ministries, and policymakers, while vendor passes are priced at $2,799 plus VAT. Registration is open at nigeriannavyanniversary.com.
Waterways News will be following coverage of SPAS 2026. Send press releases and event updates to the newsroom.
NPA Hails MARAN on Smooth Leadership Handover as New Excos Pay Courtesy Visit
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News Reporter | Lagos, May 14, 2026
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has commended the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) for conducting a seamless and crisis-free leadership transition, describing the development as a model worthy of emulation across industry associations.
The commendation came when the newly elected MARAN Executive Committee paid a courtesy visit to the NPA’s Lagos headquarters, where the Authority’s General Manager for Corporate Communication and Strategy, Ikechukwu Onyemachara, received the delegation.
Onyemachara praised the association for the orderly conduct of its electoral process, noting that many organisations struggle with governance instability when outgoing leaderships resist change. He observed that MARAN had distinguished itself by avoiding such pitfalls, pointing to the association’s strong administrative framework as a key factor in sustaining internal cohesion.
He also singled out MARAN’s tradition of honouring its past leaders for special mention, describing it as a mark of institutional maturity and a practice that strengthens organisational continuity.
The NPA spokesperson further charged the incoming Executive Committee, headed by Oluyinka Onigbinde, to deepen constructive engagement with industry stakeholders as the maritime sector navigates a critical period of growth and reform.
Speaking on behalf of the new leadership, MARAN President Onigbinde said the visit was an expression of gratitude to the NPA for its longstanding support to the association, adding that the new executive team was keen to deepen collaboration with the Authority on upcoming programmes and initiatives.
MARAN had on May 7 conducted its election, which produced a seven-member Executive Committee. Joining Onigbinde as President are Sylvanus Obasi (Vice President), Fabian Anawo (Secretary), Amina Ojelabi (Assistant Secretary), Ruth Sunday (Treasurer), Ambrose Okehi (Financial Secretary), and Providence Ayanfeoluwa (Public Relations Officer)
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