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Customs FOU Zone ‘A’ Blocks 473 Smuggling Bids, Nabs ₦2.35bn Cocaine and Meth Haul on Lagos–Abidjan Corridor
Customs FOU Zone ‘A’ Blocks 473 Smuggling Bids, Nabs ₦2.35bn Cocaine and Meth Haul on Lagos–Abidjan Corridor
Unit deploys drones, satellite imaging and geospatial intelligence as illicit trafficking networks grow bolder across South-West
Ighoyota Onaibre | Waterways News Correspondent
The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted 473 smuggling attempts across the South-West region, seizing a broad range of contraband goods and narcotics with a combined Duty Paid Value of ₦5.5 billion.
Comptroller Aliyu Gambo, Controller of the Unit, announced the enforcement record on Tuesday at the Customs Training College in Ikeja, crediting the results to improved surveillance operations, intelligence-sharing protocols, and closer cooperation with sister security agencies.
Contraband Sweep Covers Food, Fuel and Textile Goods
Among items intercepted in the period were 15 trailer-loads of rice, 22 used vehicles, 1,863 refrigerator compressors, 328 bales of used clothing, 1,188 kegs of vegetable oil, 31,705 litres of petrol, 485 used tyres, and multiple cartons of spaghetti, sugar and poultry products.
Gambo said the Unit escalated its anti-smuggling push through a dedicated operation codenamed Operation Hawk, which was designed to dismantle illicit supply chains feeding the informal economy. The operation yielded the seizure of 3,340 parcels of synthetic cannabis — popularly known as ‘Ghanaian loud’ — weighing a total of 1,540 kilograms.
₦2.35bn Drug Bust on Lagos–Abidjan Route
In a separate and significant interdiction, Customs officers stationed at the Gbaji outpost flagged a Toyota Highlander travelling along the Lagos–Abidjan international corridor. A search of the vehicle uncovered 6.4 kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine concealed within it. A 71-year-old Nigerian man was arrested at the scene. The seized drugs were valued at approximately ₦2.35 billion.
Gambo confirmed that the narcotics would be formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for prosecution and further investigation.
Mercury Haul Points to Illegal Mining Links
Officers also seized four cylinders of high-grade mercury hidden inside a modified vehicle. Mercury is a tightly regulated substance under international environmental conventions due to its toxicity and its widespread use in artisanal and small-scale illegal gold mining operations. The cylinders are to be transferred to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
Revenue Recovery and Digital Enforcement Tools
Beyond seizures, the Unit recovered ₦97.7 million through demand notices issued over underpaid import duties between February and April 2026 — an enforcement mechanism targeting deliberate undervaluation at the ports and border crossings within its jurisdiction, which spans Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Ondo states.
Gambo disclosed that the Unit was scaling up its digital enforcement capabilities, incorporating geospatial intelligence, satellite imaging, drone surveillance and real-time cargo tracking to monitor high-risk corridors more effectively. He warned that smuggling networks were adopting increasingly sophisticated concealment tactics, making intelligence coordination across agencies more critical than ever.
He also announced that preparations were underway for a phased relocation of the Unit’s command headquarters to Iperu, Ogun State — a move intended to strengthen operational efficiency, improve staff welfare and deepen inter-agency collaboration in the region.
Nigeria Watch (Analysis for Maritime Trade Stakeholders)
The FOU Zone ‘A’ results carry particular significance for port-side operators and freight forwarders working through Lagos terminals. The ₦97.7 million recovered in demand notices signals that Customs is intensifying post-clearance audits alongside physical interdictions — a dual-track approach that raises compliance exposure for importers who have historically relied on undervaluation.
The interception of 1,188 kegs of vegetable oil and 15 trailer-loads of rice along South-West corridors also points to sustained pressure on informal import channels that compete directly with legitimate cargo cleared through the ports. For terminal operators, the takeaway is clear: border enforcement is tightening, and the contraband volumes being suppressed on land routes represent trade that would otherwise flow — legally or otherwise — through port infrastructure.
The deployment of drones and satellite imaging to monitor high-risk corridors is an operational shift worth noting. As Customs builds out its geospatial intelligence capacity, the visibility gap that has long favoured smuggling networks along Nigeria’s coastal and hinterland routes is narrowing.
Oyetola Champions Nigeria’s Blue Economy at Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi
By Ighoyota Onaibre | Waterways News Correspondent
Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, brought the country’s blue economy agenda to the international stage on Monday as he joined African leaders, investors and policymakers at the Africa Forward Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya.
Oyetola featured on a high-level panel centred on the theme “Blue Economy — Maritime Sovereignty & Sustainable Valorization,” sharing a platform with France’s Minister of the Sea and Fisheries, Catherine Chabaud, and other prominent maritime stakeholders from across the continent.
The summit, co-hosted by Kenyan President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron under the banner “Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth,” drew considerable attention as the first Africa-France summit hosted in an English-speaking, non-Francophone African country — a milestone that underscored the evolving dynamics of Africa’s engagement with its global partners.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was among the African heads of state in attendance, joining what has been widely described as a pivotal diplomatic forum for charting a new course in economic and strategic cooperation between Africa and France.
For the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the summit provided a timely platform to showcase Nigeria’s growing ambitions in the sector. Since the Ministry’s creation in August 2023, it has moved to lay a policy foundation for sustainable growth — producing Nigeria’s first National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy to guide development across the country’s vast coastal and inland waterways resources.
The results are beginning to show. Agencies under the Ministry recorded a combined revenue of N1.83 trillion in the 2025 fiscal year. The Federal Government has also approved a comprehensive port modernisation programme aimed at accommodating larger vessels, creating more jobs and consolidating Nigeria’s standing as the premier maritime gateway for West and Central Africa.
NIGERIA WATCH
The blue economy message Oyetola carried to Nairobi did not originate in a single office — it is the product of a coordinated ecosystem of all agencies operating under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, each with a distinct but interlinked role in building the sector he is now promoting on the continental stage.
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is the Ministry’s apex regulatory arm, responsible for ship registration, seafarer certification, cabotage enforcement, marine environment protection and maritime security. NIMASA’s Deep Blue Project — which has helped drive down piracy incidents in the Gulf of Guinea — is central to the maritime sovereignty argument Oyetola made at the Nairobi panel. A safer maritime domain is the foundation on which any blue economy investment case is built. NIMASA also drives Nigeria’s engagement with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), ensuring the country’s policies align with global standards — the kind of credibility that matters on a summit stage alongside French ministers.
Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) manages and regulates port operations and infrastructure across Nigeria’s seaports. The port modernisation programme approved by the Federal Government — highlighted as a key ministry achievement — sits squarely in NPA’s remit. Attracting larger vessels, expanding cargo throughput and positioning Nigeria as West and Central Africa’s leading maritime hub are all functions that flow directly through the Authority. When Oyetola speaks of Nigeria’s marine potential before investors at a summit like Africa Forward, it is NPA’s infrastructure that those investors will ultimately be looking to engage with.
National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) oversees the development and regulation of Nigeria’s inland waterways — a network spanning over 10,000 kilometres, of which only about 3,000 are currently navigable. The sustainable valorisation of marine resources, which Oyetola spoke to at the panel, cannot be complete without unlocking this inland corridor. NIWA is the agency responsible for opening up that frontier — through waterway development, jetty construction, vessel regulation and safety enforcement on rivers and creeks. Its work connects coastal blue economy gains to riverine communities across 28 states.
Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) functions as the port economic regulator and the voice of cargo owners in Nigeria’s maritime supply chain. As the Ministry pursues greater investment and trade flows through the blue economy agenda, NSC’s role in moderating freight rates, resolving disputes between shippers and service providers, and ensuring a competitive port environment becomes critical. The commercial sustainability of Nigeria’s maritime hub ambition depends significantly on how well NSC regulates the cost and ease of doing business at Nigerian ports.
Together, these four agencies form the institutional backbone behind the blue economy narrative Nigeria is now projecting internationally. Oyetola’s appearance in Nairobi signals diplomatic momentum — but it is the day-to-day performance of NIMASA, NPA, NIWA and NSC at home that will determine whether that narrative holds.
NCS Boss Champions Digital Trade, Regional Customs Unity at WCO Freetown Summit
By Ighoyota Onaibre | Waterways News Correspondent
Nigeria Customs Service Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has used the platform of the 32nd Conference of Directors General of Customs in Freetown, Sierra Leone, to press for accelerated digital trade reforms and deeper cooperation among West and Central African Customs administrations, warning that the region’s economic integration agenda faces serious threats from illicit trade and fragmented border management.
Adeniyi, who represented Nigeria’s interests at the two-day summit convened under the World Customs Organization (WCO) framework, told delegates that Nigeria’s engagement within the regional body was animated by a commitment to collective progress rather than the narrow pursuit of national advantage. He praised the region’s tradition of rotating leadership among member states irrespective of their size or economic weight, describing it as a model worthy of emulation.
Summit Theme and Key Agenda
The conference, held under the theme “A Customs Service that Protects Society Through its Vigilance and Commitment,” placed digital transformation, intelligence-driven border management and harmonised Customs operations at the centre of its deliberations.
Delegates reached broad agreement on the need for coordinated roll-out of Single Window platforms across the region, stronger transit verification through the ECOWAS SIGMAT framework, and more robust data-sharing arrangements to plug revenue leakages and disrupt smuggling and transnational criminal networks exploiting trade corridors.
Adeniyi separately commended the WCO leadership for sustaining an inclusive modernisation agenda that keeps African Customs administrations meaningfully engaged in shaping global trade standards.
Sierra Leone’s Modernisation Blueprint
Sierra Leone’s hosting of the summit coincided with an announcement of its own Customs transformation roadmap. The country unveiled plans to upgrade its ASYCUDA World system, deploy a Single Window Customs and Ports Community System, and introduce product-tracing solutions for excisable goods — steps that align with the broader regional push for interoperable trade infrastructure.
The conference was formally opened by Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio, who called on regional governments to deepen cooperation on trade facilitation, border security and economic integration as foundational pillars of sustainable growth.
AfCFTA Opportunities, Security Imperatives
Participants acknowledged that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offers the region significant commercial opportunities but cautioned that its full potential can only be realised if modern Customs systems and effective border controls keep criminal actors from exploiting the expanded trade corridors that accompany liberalisation.
The summit closed with the election of the Central African Republic as the new Vice-Chair of the WCO West and Central Africa Region, succeeding Mali at the conclusion of a two-year tenure.
Nigeria Watch
For Nigeria’s ports and maritime trade ecosystem, the Freetown summit carries direct operational significance. The NCS has been actively rolling out the Nigeria National Single Window — a platform whose value depends heavily on whether neighbouring Customs administrations adopt comparable systems. Without regional interoperability, goods moving through West African corridors remain vulnerable to mis-declaration, valuation fraud and diversion at transit points beyond Nigeria’s jurisdiction.
Adeniyi’s advocacy for the ECOWAS SIGMAT transit verification framework is particularly noteworthy. Nigeria’s major ports — Apapa and Tin Can Island — serve as entry points for cargo destined for landlocked neighbours including Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali. Strengthening transit Customs controls is therefore not merely a regional solidarity gesture; it is a direct revenue protection measure for the NCS and a trade facilitation imperative for Nigerian port operators.
The AfCFTA dimension also bears watching. As tariff barriers fall, the premium on Customs intelligence, risk profiling and cross-border data sharing will only rise. Nigeria’s positioning within the WCO regional structure gives it leverage to shape those frameworks — leverage that must be converted into binding protocols if the country’s ports are to remain competitive gateways into West Africa.
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Onigbinde Assumes MARAN Presidency, Vows to Rebuild Association, Raise Bar for Maritime Journalism
Onigbinde Assumes MARAN Presidency, Vows to Rebuild Association, Raise Bar for Maritime Journalism
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News Correspondent
Newly-elected President of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN), Mr. Oluyinka Onigbinde, has outlined a reform-driven agenda anchored on institutional rebuilding, ethical journalism, member welfare, and deeper engagement with maritime industry stakeholders.
Onigbinde, Assistant Editor of Shipping Position Daily, emerged as the 15th president of MARAN following a keenly contested election held at the association’s elective congress in Apapa, Lagos last week Thursday. He defeated veteran maritime journalist Reverend John Iwori in a poll conducted under the supervision of the Lagos State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Speaking during an interactive session on Radio Nigeria shortly after his victory, Onigbinde described his emergence as a collective win for the association rather than a personal triumph, and stressed that the road ahead would demand unity, sacrifice, and accountability from all members.
“Leadership is not about age; it is about responsibility, maturity, and the ability to carry the hopes and expectations of the people,” he said, in what appeared to be a direct response to commentary about him being among the youngest presidents in the association’s history.
Reforms and Professionalism
At the heart of Onigbinde’s agenda is a commitment to institutional reform aimed at strengthening professionalism among maritime beat reporters and restoring MARAN’s relevance as a credible voice in industry and policy circles. He indicated that his administration would pursue expanded training and capacity-building programmes for members, alongside deliberate efforts to position MARAN as an active participant in maritime policy discourse.
“My dream includes strengthening professionalism among maritime journalists, improving members’ welfare, creating more training and capacity-building opportunities, and deepening engagement with industry stakeholders,” he stated.
The new president also placed ethical journalism at the centre of his reform vision, with a particular emphasis on mentoring the next generation of reporters covering Nigeria’s maritime sector.
“We intend to promote ethical journalism and ensure that younger journalists are mentored appropriately,” he said.
Reconciliation and Inclusivity
Beyond the reform agenda, Onigbinde pledged to heal divisions within the association that may have widened during the electioneering period. He gave assurances that his administration would run an inclusive ship, leaving no room for factional loyalties.
“My administration will be inclusive. There will be no room for party A or party B. Everybody must see themselves as part of this government regardless of who supported me or not,” he declared.
He disclosed that he had already reached out to his opponent, Rev. Iwori, immediately after the election results were announced, and expressed hope that both men would work together to advance the association. “I look forward to working with him and building stronger synergy to take MARAN to greater heights,” he said.
As part of his reconciliation drive, Onigbinde also announced plans to re-engage past presidents and long-standing members who had drifted from active participation in the association, noting that several former presidents had already signalled readiness to return following his election.
Flagship Programmes to Continue
The MARAN president reaffirmed his commitment to sustaining the association’s Annual Maritime Lecture, describing it as a critical platform for industry engagement and policy debate that his administration intends to strengthen further.
Nigeria Watch
MARAN’s health matters to Nigerian maritime journalism — and by extension, to the quality of public discourse around the sector’s development. An association that consistently produces well-trained, ethically grounded reporters is a strategic asset for institutions like NIMASA, the NPA, the NSC, and the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, all of which depend on an informed media to build stakeholder trust and drive policy accountability.
Onigbinde’s stated emphasis on capacity-building, ethical standards, and stakeholder collaboration is well-calibrated. Whether the ambition translates into measurable outcomes will depend on the administration’s ability to mobilise resources, sustain member engagement, and resist the patronage pressures that have historically undermined associations of this kind. Waterwaysnews.ng will be watching
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