Security & Safety
NSML Confirms Removal of War Risk Insurance on Nigeria-Bound Ships, Unveils New Logo
The NLNG Shipping and Marine Services Limited (NSML) has confirmed the removal of War Risk Insurance Premiums on Nigeria-bound ships, a surcharge imposed by foreign shipping companies due to security concerns in the Gulf of Guinea.
Managing Director of NSML, Abdulkadir Ahmed, made this known in Lagos on Monday during a press conference to unveil the company’s new logo. The rebranding marks a significant milestone in NSML’s expansion into new markets and service offerings.
Ahmed attributed the removal of the insurance surcharge to the successes recorded under the Deep Blue Project, spearheaded by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
“War risk is a perception of safety in the region, and I am glad to mention that the NIMASA Deep Blue Project has significantly addressed security concerns within West African waters,” he said.
He, however, stressed the need for continuous efforts to maintain a secure maritime environment to ensure the sustainability of this development.
“We commend NIMASA for what they have done. It has really enhanced security within the Gulf of Guinea. However, we must continue to sustain a safe and secure environment because this can change at any moment,” Ahmed added.
On the issue of sea time training for cadets, Ahmed revealed that NSML has provided sea time opportunities for several cadets under the National Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP).
According to him, nearly 300 cadets have sailed on NSML vessels, with about 200 completing their certifications and 100 securing employment within the company.
“The challenge of securing sea berth placements is a global issue, but it is even more pronounced in Nigeria because our shipping industry is still growing. The number of ocean-going vessels is limited, but we are exploring more opportunities to increase berth spaces for cadets,” he stated.
Introducing the company’s new visual identity, Ahmed explained that the updated logo aligns with the NLNG Group’s rebranding initiative, which began in 2024.
He noted that the new design reinforces NSML’s commitment to excellence, sustainability, and collaboration in the maritime sector.
“Our new logo is more than just a visual update; it embodies our core values of professionalism, teamwork, respect, excellence, and care. It also reflects our mission to provide cost-efficient maritime services in a safe, reliable, and sustainable manner,” Ahmed said.
The new logo features an “advanced swivel” in green, lemon, and blue colors. The green represents NSML’s commitment to safety and sustainability, blue signifies reliability and operational excellence, while lemon symbolizes innovation and forward-thinking maritime solutions.
Ahmed emphasized that the rebranding would strengthen NSML’s brand identity, positioning it as a leading provider of integrated maritime services in Nigeria and beyond.
Navy Nabs Three Stowaways Aboard Merchant Vessel Off Lagos Coast
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News Reporter | April 21, 2026
The Nigerian Navy has apprehended three suspected stowaways found concealed aboard the merchant vessel MSC STELLA (IMO No. 9279988) in waters off the Lagos Fairway Buoy, in what authorities say reflects the service’s intensified drive to secure Nigeria’s maritime corridors and combat irregular migration by sea.
The interception was confirmed in an official statement released Monday in Abuja by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho.
According to Folorunsho, the operation was executed by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, acting on credible intelligence received from the Western Regional Control Centre (WRCC) at approximately 5:05 pm on April 19. A Quick Response Team deployed from Tarkwa Bay successfully intercepted the suspects roughly five nautical miles off the Lagos coastline.
Preliminary investigations indicate the trio illegally boarded the vessel in the early hours of April 17 — around 1:00 am — while the ship was berthed at Tin Can Island Port, Lagos. The suspects have been identified as Aguru Michael, 27, a Benin Republic national; Soye Monday, 25, from Ondo State; and Kentobou Peter, 22, from Delta State. All three were reportedly attempting to reach Europe.
The naval spokesperson noted that the operation once again demonstrates the Nigerian Navy’s resolve to protect lives at sea and disrupt illegal migration through Nigeria’s waterways. He pointed to a string of recent search-and-rescue successes, including the rescue of seven people following a maritime collision in Bayelsa State, and the interception of three foreign stowaways aboard MT ANATOLIA just last month in March 2026.
The three suspects are currently being held at NNS BEECROFT and are undergoing investigation and administrative processing in accordance with applicable laws.
The Nigerian Navy reiterated its unwavering commitment to maritime safety, security, and continuous surveillance of Nigeria’s territorial waters.
Waterways News | Covering Nigeria’s Maritime Domain
EFCC, Customs Close Ranks to Choke Off Smuggling and Money Laundering at Nigeria’s Borders
By Okeoghene Onoriobe, Waterways News, Lagos April 15, 2026
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has thrown its weight behind its growing partnership with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), signalling that the two agencies are tightening their joint grip on smuggling networks and financial crime operations feeding off Nigeria’s trade corridors.
Speaking during a high-level engagement in Kano, EFCC Acting Zonal Director Friday Ebelo said the collaboration is already yielding tangible results — illicit goods intercepted, funds recovered and high-profile suspects arrested. He credited the gains to a deliberate effort by both agencies to understand each other’s operational mandates and align their enforcement strategies.
“No single agency can combat cross-border crime alone,” Ebelo said, stressing that intelligence sharing and joint enforcement are essential to protecting national revenue and disrupting the financial networks that sustain organised criminal groups.
The visit was led by the Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gaura, who brought students for an immersive look at how the EFCC conducts its operations. Gaura commended the Commission’s transparency and operational efficiency, noting that modern Customs work has long outgrown the border post — it now demands intelligence-led financial investigation skills that are built through exactly this kind of interagency exposure.
The engagement covered a lecture on interagency cooperation, interactive sessions on intelligence sharing and joint investigations, and a focused discussion on managing seized assets connected to currency smuggling and financial crimes.
For a country whose ports and waterways remain entry points for contraband — from petroleum products and narcotics to foreign currencies — the deepening of this EFCC-Customs alliance carries direct implications for maritime enforcement. Smuggling routes that exploit Nigeria’s coastline and inland waterways often rely on the same financial infrastructure that both agencies are now working to dismantle together.
Waterways News | waterwaysnews.ng
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CUSTOMS BUSTS N1BN DRUG HAUL: Over One Million Tramadol Tablets, 10,000 Codeine Bottles Seized on Benin Highway
CUSTOMS BUSTS N1BN DRUG HAUL: Over One Million Tramadol Tablets, 10,000 Codeine Bottles Seized on Benin Highway
By Ighoyota Enaibre
Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone C, Owerri, have dealt a major blow to drug traffickers after intercepting a staggering consignment of illicit narcotics with a Duty Paid Value of over N1 billion along the Okada/Ofosu Expressway in Benin City, Edo State.
The bust, one of the largest single drug seizures recorded by the unit, yielded 1,025,000 tablets of Tramadol and 10,000 bottles of Barcadin Codeine Syrup (100ml each) — all smuggled inside a truck and cleverly concealed among legitimate goods to dodge detection.
Comptroller Bishir Balogun, who announced the seizure, confirmed that the operation was executed on March 15, 2026, driven by strategic intelligence and coordinated enforcement action.
When customs operatives flagged down the vehicle, the driver made a desperate bid to escape — briefly pulling over before abandoning the truck entirely and fleeing on foot into nearby bushland. A thorough search of the truck uncovered the drugs hidden within the cargo.
The total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seized consignment stands at N1,056,000,000.
Balogun stressed that the haul reflects the Service’s firm resolve to choke off the supply of controlled substances fuelling drug addiction and violent crime across Nigeria.
“Smugglers and criminal networks should know that the Nigeria Customs Service will not relent. We will continue to deploy intelligence-led strategies to protect public health and national security,” he warned.
The consignment remains in custody as investigations continue to track down and prosecute those behind the operation.
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