Business
CRFFN, MWUN Seal Strategic Alliance, Union Presses Federal Government on Workers’ Welfare
CRFFN, MWUN Seal Strategic Alliance, Union Presses Federal Government on Workers’ Welfare
By Ighoyota Onaibre | Waterways News Correspondent
The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) have taken a significant step toward deeper institutional collaboration, with both bodies pledging to work more closely on trade facilitation, professional standards in freight forwarding, and the welfare of workers across Nigeria’s maritime sector.
The commitment was made during a courtesy visit by members of the MWUN National Executive Council to CRFFN’s Lagos headquarters on Monday, where they met with the Council’s Registrar/CEO, Mr. Kingsley Igwe.
Igwe used the occasion to praise the leadership of MWUN President General, Comrade Francis Bunu, commending the union’s district officers who interface with CRFFN for their professionalism and cooperative spirit. He noted that the working relationship between both organisations had been productive and deserved to be formalised at a higher level.
MWUN PG, Comrade Francis Abi Bunu and CRFFN Registrar/CEO, Mr. Kingsley Igwe
The CRFFN chief gave an update on the Council’s reform drive over the past 18 months, disclosing that efforts to reposition freight forwarding practice along global standards had yielded concrete results. He said a digitalization initiative was underway to modernise freight forwarding operations and integrate the sector into the National Single Window platform. More than 500 freight forwarders have so far been verified under the programme, he said, while a formal licensing regime aligned with international best practices has also been introduced.
Igwe further disclosed that CRFFN had set up a complaint desk to handle disputes involving freight forwarders, shippers, terminal operators, and other supply chain stakeholders, and that work was ongoing to standardise freight forwarding charges so that importers can determine the true cost of cargo clearance and logistics services.
On capacity building, he stated that over 250 freight forwarders had received training in air cargo operations, with programmes targeting sea freight operations also in the pipeline. The Council has equally strengthened ties with strategic partners within and outside Nigeria to support broader maritime and logistics sector reforms, he added.
Igwe also acknowledged MWUN’s solidarity during the passing of former CRFFN Registrar, Barrister Samuel Nwakohu, describing it as a gesture that deepened the bond between both organisations.
In his response, Comrade Bunu described CRFFN as a key institution in Nigeria’s trade facilitation architecture and revenue generation for the Federal Government. He praised Igwe for the reforms being driven at the Council and assured him of MWUN’s unwavering backing. “As far as the union is concerned, we are by you. We will always stand by you,” Bunu said.
The union leader, however, used the forum to press for improved conditions for maritime workers, calling on the Federal Government to review salaries in line with present economic realities. He stressed that the workforce remains central to the country’s economic growth and that periodic wage reviews are non-negotiable.
Bunu also raised the matter of outstanding union dues owed to MWUN by CRFFN, urging management to ensure prompt remittance in line with labour laws.
Responding, Igwe assured the union that while deductions for 2025 had been consistent, steps were already being taken to clear obligations dating back to 2024. He equally pledged to escalate MWUN’s demands for salary increases and improved staff conditions of service to the relevant authorities, noting that discussions on a new conditions of service framework for CRFFN staff had already begun.
At the close of the meeting, Igwe formally conferred on MWUN the status of “strategic partner” of CRFFN — a symbolic but significant declaration that both parties hope will define the character of their engagement going forward.
Blue Economy
43 Vessels Bound for Lagos Ports in Major Cargo Push as NPA Tracks Fuel, Food, and Fertiliser Shipments
43 Vessels Bound for Lagos Ports in Major Cargo Push as NPA Tracks Fuel, Food, and Fertiliser Shipments
Apapa, Lekki Deep Sea Port, and Tincan Island Port brace for a high-volume fortnight as over 75 vessels are expected, anchored, or already discharging across Nigeria’s three key Lagos terminals
By WaterwaysNews.ng | May 27, 2026
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has confirmed that 43 vessels are scheduled to arrive at Lagos’s three main port terminals — Apapa Port, Lekki Deep Sea Port, and Tincan Island Port — between May 26 and June 6, 2026, carrying an extensive range of cargo critical to Nigeria’s food supply chain, energy sector, and agricultural industry.
The disclosure, made through the NPA’s routine vessel movement schedule, offers a detailed picture of the cargo flow into West Africa’s largest port complex at a time when import-dependent sectors of the Nigerian economy remain under sustained pressure from foreign exchange constraints and global commodity volatility.
What’s Coming In
The incoming vessels are expected to deliver a broad sweep of strategic goods that cut across nearly every major sector of the Nigerian economy. On the energy side, the scheduled arrivals include shipments of petrol, diesel, gasoline, condensate, crude oil, and aviation fuel — cargoes that feed the country’s chronically undersupplied downstream petroleum sector and keep its airports and industrial operations running.
Food security stakeholders will be watching closely as bulk wheat, millet, bulk sugar, fresh fish, and other food items are among the listed cargoes. Nigeria remains one of the world’s largest wheat importers, and any disruption to vessel scheduling can have a ripple effect on flour mills, bakeries, and household food prices across the country.
Agricultural inputs are also prominently featured, with bulk urea and bulk fertiliser expected among the incoming shipments — a critical lifeline for Nigeria’s farming sector heading into the mid-year planting season. Containers of general cargo round out the manifest, covering a wide range of manufactured goods, raw materials, and consumer products.
A Busy Anchorage
The port complex is already dealing with significant vessel traffic. As of the date of the NPA’s confirmation, 11 ships and tanker vessels had arrived at the three terminals and were riding at anchor waiting to berth — a common feature of Lagos ports, where berth congestion and cargo evacuation bottlenecks frequently force vessels into extended waiting periods that add to shipowners’ costs and delay cargo delivery.
Meanwhile, 21 ships were actively discharging cargo at the time of the NPA’s announcement. The active discharge manifests include bulk urea, petrol, wheat, aviation fuel, and diesel — underlining the scale and strategic nature of the operations currently underway at the terminals.
In total, when combining expected arrivals, vessels at anchor, and ships currently discharging, the port complex is managing the movements of more than 75 vessels over the reporting period — a figure that reflects the enormous logistical weight Lagos continues to carry as Nigeria’s primary maritime gateway.
Port Activity in Context
Apapa Port, Nigeria’s oldest and busiest terminal, continues to handle the lion’s share of the country’s bulk liquid and dry cargo despite its well-documented infrastructure challenges. Tincan Island Port, located on the western flank of the Lagos port complex, handles a significant volume of containerised and general cargo. Lekki Deep Sea Port — Nigeria’s most modern terminal, commissioned in 2023 with a capacity of over six million TEUs — is increasingly playing a complementary role in absorbing cargo volumes that previously queued at the older terminals.
The NPA’s vessel movement tracking system is central to managing traffic across all three terminals, providing advance notice to port operators, terminal managers, shipping agents, and cargo owners who rely on the data to plan their logistics chains.
Cargo evacuation from these terminals remains a persistent challenge, with trucks bearing the overwhelming burden of moving goods from the ports to distribution hubs across the country. Maritime and logistics stakeholders have long called for improved rail connectivity and greater utilisation of inland waterways to decongest the roads leading out of the port gates — a call that has grown louder as cargo volumes continue to climb.
What to Watch
With fuel cargoes forming a significant share of the incoming shipments, any delays in berthing or discharge could have near-term consequences for petrol and diesel supply in Lagos and beyond. Similarly, the wheat and fertiliser shipments carry implications that extend well beyond the port — delays at the terminal level translate directly into pressure on mill operations and farm-gate prices.
WaterwaysNews.ng will continue to track vessel movements at Lagos’s ports and provide updates on berth utilisation, cargo discharge progress, and any developments affecting the flow of critical imports through Nigeria’s maritime gateway.
For real-time vessel movement data and port updates, follow WaterwaysNews.ng — Nigeria’s most authoritative maritime news platform.
Blue Economy
Single Window Platform Crosses 7,500 Users as Nigeria’s Trade Digitalisation Drive Gathers Steam
Single Window Platform Crosses 7,500 Users as Nigeria’s Trade Digitalisation Drive Gathers Steam
By Emetena Ikuku | Waterways News Reporter
Nigeria’s push to digitise cargo clearance and trade documentation is gaining traction, with the National Single Window platform recording 7,567 registered users in just eight weeks since going live — a figure officials say reflects strong early confidence from the maritime and trade community.
The Director of the National Single Window Project, Tola Fakolade, disclosed the numbers at a press briefing in Lagos, noting that the platform launched on 27 March 2026 and has drawn a broad cross-section of operators since then, including 6,935 importers, 359 clearing agents, 169 licensed customs agents and 104 freight forwarders.
Director of the National Single Window Project, Tola Fakolade
The platform, central to the federal government’s effort to consolidate trade processes under a single digital portal, has recorded 39,039 submissions for licences, permits, certificates and other regulatory approvals. The Standards Organisation of Nigeria led with 30,937 applications, followed by NAFDAC with 7,942, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency with 138 and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service with 22.
Of direct significance to the maritime sector, the aviation cargo segment has also begun plugging into the system, with seven airlines and courier operators now submitting air cargo manifests through the platform. DHL leads with 121 submissions, Ethiopian Airlines has filed eight, Rwanda Air three, Egypt Air two and British Airways and Royal Air Maroc one each. Air Côte d’Ivoire and Delta Air Lines are yet to begin, bringing total manifests processed to 136 so far.
Fakolade said training and sensitisation efforts have reached nearly 3,000 private-sector stakeholders across Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano, with government agency officials also put through specialised onboarding to handle reviews, approvals, escalations and user support.
The project team acknowledged a difficult April, during which the platform was beset by payment failures, data migration difficulties, low compliance, HS code mismatches and processing bottlenecks from NAFDAC applications. Fakolade maintained that most of those issues have since been resolved.
“There were challenges in April, but we should not be having them in May because we have dealt with the issues and they are improving,” he said.
Looking ahead, Fakolade announced that a second phase of the rollout would commence within two months, with mandatory manifest submission requirements for all shipping lines and airlines. Authorities also plan to tackle longstanding HS code overlaps among government agencies — a persistent pain point for port operators and logistics providers.
The second phase is also expected to bring outstanding agencies on board and introduce export processing capabilities, deepening the platform’s scope as the government works to reduce clearance times and modernise Nigeria’s trade infrastruc
Blue Economy
DANGOTE Activates Olokola Deep Seaport Plan — and Nigeria’s Maritime Landscape May Never be the Same
DANGOTE Activates Olokola Deep Seaport Plan — and Nigeria’s Maritime Landscape May Never be the Same
With a 10,000-hectare footprint straddling Ogun and Ondo states, the proposed Olokola Deep Seaport dwarfs every existing port facility in the country and signals a private-sector-led revolution in Nigeria’s blue economy
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News Correspondent
Nigeria’s perpetually congested port landscape — defined for decades by the cramped berths of Apapa and Tin Can Island, the chronic gridlock on Wharf Road, and the unmet promise of Lekki Deep Seaport — may be on the cusp of its most dramatic transformation yet. Dangote Industries Limited has formally commenced preliminary processes for the development of what its officials are billing as a potential game-changer for African maritime trade: a 10,000-hectare deep seaport at the Olokola Free Trade Zone (OKFTZ), straddling the border of Ogun and Ondo states along the Atlantic coastline.
To fully appreciate the scale of what is being proposed, consider this: the development spans more than 10,000 hectares across Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State and extends into Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State along the Gulf of Guinea coastline. Nigeria Ports Authority’s Apapa port complex — still the country’s busiest gateway and the artery through which the overwhelming bulk of Nigeria’s containerised imports flow — occupies roughly 81 hectares. Tin Can Island Port, its equally strained neighbour, sits on approximately 84 hectares. The Olokola project, if developed to its full envisaged footprint, would be more than 100 times larger than either of those facilities. This is not a port expansion. This is, in effect, an entirely new maritime industrial city to be carved out of Nigeria’s Atlantic coastline.
A Vision Rooted in $100 Ambition
The project sits at the heart of the Olokola Free Trade Zone on the Atlantic coast along the Gulf of Guinea. Dangote Industries is positioning it as the logistics backbone of its ambition to achieve $100 billion in annual revenue, secure a top-100 global ranking, and reshape Africa’s industrial landscape by 2030. (Marketing Edge)
That ambition, formalised as the group’s “Vision 2030” strategy, has already produced Africa’s largest petroleum refinery, a massive fertiliser complex, and an increasingly vertically integrated industrial conglomerate. The Olokola Deep Seaport is conceived as the crowning logistics infrastructure that would bind all of those assets together under one export-capable gateway — reducing the group’s dependence on third-party port operators and the chronically congested Lagos port system.
The facility is expected to support exports of fertilisers, petrochemicals and refined petroleum products, as well as facilitate future liquefied natural gas exports and the importation of heavy industrial equipment.
For port operators, shipping lines, freight forwarders and logistics companies currently navigating the impossible geometry of Apapa, this is a development with direct and far-reaching implications.
Capt. Jamil Abubakar Leads Community Engagements
A delegation from Dangote Industries Limited, led by Managing Director of Infrastructure and Logistics, Capt. Jamil Abubakar, visited host communities in Ogun and Ondo states to begin stakeholder engagements ahead of project execution. The delegation was accompanied by surveyors and environmental consultants — a signal that the project has moved beyond boardroom discussion and into active pre-construction groundwork.
The team visited Ode-Omi community in Ogun State, as well as Araromi Seaside Kingdom and Igbokoda in Ondo State. The Lenuwa of Ode-Omi, Oba Folailu Adekunle Hassan (Oshotekun II), welcomed the project and approved the commencement of surveys and household enumeration. The Alara of Araromi Seaside Kingdom, Oba Adeoloye Olawole, also pledged support for the project.
Significantly, the delegation also visited the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda, where military officials expressed support for the proposed development — a critical consultation given the maritime security dimensions of any major coastal port infrastructure project in Nigeria’s Gulf of Guinea littoral.
Capt. Abubakar was unambiguous about the project’s national significance. “The Olokola Port project is a major step in unlocking Nigeria’s economic potential, strengthening trade, alleviating pressure on existing ports, and fostering industrial growth. It will generate substantial opportunities for host communities through employment, business activities, and long-term development across both Ogun and Ondo states. With its strategic location, Olokola would serve as a key gateway for exports and imports, boosting Nigeria’s competitiveness in regional and global trade.”
A History of False Starts — and Why This Time Feels Different
The Olokola Free Trade Zone is not a new concept. According to previous disclosures by Aliko Dangote, the company had initially planned major industrial investments in the Olokola Free Trade Zone before suspending activities due to disputes and policy uncertainties under a previous Ogun State administration. However, the group has since renewed its interest following what it described as improved investment conditions and stronger state-level support for industrial projects.
In March 2025, Dangote announced plans to develop what he described as Nigeria’s largest port within the Olokola axis during a visit to Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun. Subsequent reports in July 2025 revealed that the company had submitted preliminary documentation to begin construction approvals for the seaport project. The latest round of community visits and surveying activities represents a meaningful acceleration of those earlier signals into concrete field action.
Presidential approval has also reportedly been secured. Reports indicate that President Bola Tinubu approved oil drilling activities in Ogun Waterside and cleared the Olokola Deep Seaport project for take-off — providing the highest-level political backing the project has yet received.
What It Means for Nigeria’s Ports Sector
For maritime industry stakeholders — terminal operators, shipping agents, freight forwarders, and the vessel owners who ply Nigeria’s coastal and inland waterways — the Olokola project raises several immediate and medium-term questions.
The relief of pressure on Lagos ports is the most cited benefit, and it is a genuine one. Apapa and Tin Can Island together handle the vast majority of Nigeria’s import cargo volumes, and their infrastructure was never designed for current throughput levels. Every major exporter of bulk commodities — refined petroleum, fertiliser, agricultural produce — currently competes for the same insufficient berths. A dedicated deep seaport expressly designed for Dangote’s export volumes would, in theory, free up significant capacity at the Lagos complex for other users.
The deep-water draft capabilities implied by the “deep seaport” designation are also significant. Nigeria’s existing ports impose draft restrictions that prevent the largest class of bulk and container vessels from calling directly — forcing transhipment through ports like Lomé, Abidjan and Tanger-Med. A properly developed deep seaport on the Ogun/Ondo coastline, if designed to accommodate Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) and ultra-large container ships, could fundamentally alter Nigeria’s competitive position as a direct-call destination on major shipping lanes.
The deep seaport is being designed as a logistics gateway for an integrated industrial ecosystem capable of supporting Africa’s regional commerce and supply chain network — language that suggests ambitions well beyond a captive export terminal for Dangote’s own products.
Nigeria Watch: The Broader Blue Economy Dimension
The Olokola announcement arrives at a moment when Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy is actively seeking the large-scale private investment that would give its blue economy policy framework tangible expression. The ministry and the Nigerian Ports Authority have both spoken repeatedly about the need to develop new port capacity outside the Lagos corridor — and Dangote’s move at Olokola, however early-stage, represents exactly the kind of private-sector initiative that aligns with that policy direction.
For the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and its freight stakeholders, the project’s long-term promise of competition in port services — even if initially a captive facility — is a welcome structural development.
For NIMASA, the regulatory implications of a privately owned deep seaport of this scale will require careful navigation: cabotage policy, vessel registration, and coastal trade licensing all intersect with a development of this nature.
For inland waterway operators, the Olokola coastline’s position along the Gulf of Guinea opens questions about feeder service connections — whether NIWA’s jurisdiction over connecting waterway routes will be properly coordinated with the port’s eventual hinterland logistics design, and whether local boat and barge operators can position themselves early for the cargo volumes a 10,000-hectare maritime industrial city would generate.
The project is, at present, still at the preliminary engagement and surveying stage. No construction timeline has been officially published, no terminal operator has been named, and the full capital structure of the multi-billion-dollar investment has not been disclosed.
The history of large-scale port proposals in Nigeria — from Badagry to Ibom — counsels measured expectations. But the Dangote name, the community buy-in, the military consultation, and the presidential clearance together suggest that Olokola has progressed further along the credibility curve than most of its predecessors.
Nigeria’s maritime sector is watching — and it should be.
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