Shipper’s Council Boss, Akutah Issues Scorecard of 1-Year in Office, Targets Regulatory Reforms, Economic Growth Initiatives

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Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council, Barr Pius Akutah

By DAPO OLAWUNI

At an event marking his one year in office, Barr. Pius Akutah, the Executive Secretary and CEO of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, has outlined several initiatives aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s maritime sector and positioning it for significant growth within Africa’s evolving trade landscape.

Speaking at the event in Lagos on Sunday, November 3rd, 2024, Akutah highlighted his tenure’s milestones and underscored the council’s ongoing commitment to addressing trade inefficiencies.

R-L: President of APFFLON, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, Mrs Boma Alabi, Executive Secretary of Shippers Council, Barr Pius Akutah, and Deputy Managing Director of MSC Shipping, Jacob Losso

The event was graced by maritime industry creme-de-la-creme, including the President General of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, MSC Shipping Deputy Managing Director, Jacob Losso, Chairmn of Shipping Companies Association, Boma Alabi SAN, President of the Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON), Lagos Chairman of Nigerian Union of Journalists, Mr Adeleye Ajayi among others.

Reflecting on his first year, Akutah said, “In the last year, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council has made significant strides towards transforming the maritime sector. We have managed to push forward initiatives that many considered critical to the progress of our sector.”

One of the highlights, he shared, was the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill, which he described as “one noble objective needed to bring about the efficiency of this sector that has eluded us over the years.”

The bill, which has passed the House of Representatives and is awaiting Senate concurrence, is designed to fortify Nigeria’s maritime sector through comprehensive regulatory reform.

“By the grace of God, I believe that in the coming weeks, the Senate will give its concurrence, and we will then await Mr. President’s assent. This bill is a major initiative that will reposition our sector for economic growth, job creation, and other sectoral achievements.”

Akutah emphasized the importance of Nigeria capitalizing on the African Free Continental Trade Area (AfCFTA), which he noted had opened the African market to over 1.5 billion people with a combined market size of over $4 trillion.

He urged stakeholders to work collaboratively to strengthen Nigeria’s position within this vast marketplace, stressing that the council is focused on creating the framework for Nigeria to be competitive.

“We cannot leave our markets open for other countries without taking steps to ensure we benefit. Our goal is to develop manufacturing so that Nigerian goods can be exported across Africa,” Akutah said.

Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council, Barr Pius Akutah (4th from left, front row) in a group photograph with senior management staff of the Council at an event to mark his one year in office in Lagos on Sunday

One of the critical areas Akutah intends to address in the coming year is maritime logistics and infrastructure.

“The shipping subsector of this economy is crucial, our ports are dependent on the arrival of ships, so our partnership with shipping companies is vital for trade and economic growth. Right now, connectivity within the African region remains a major challenge. Goods often have to route through Europe before reaching other African destinations, which increases both time and cost.”

According to Akutah, the council’s plan of action going forward, includes positioning Nigeria as a maritime logistics hub for Africa.

“We are exploring partnerships with major global shipping companies to invest in Nigeria’s facilities and support this vision. We have extracted commitments from some of these companies, and we expect to make real progress over the next year,” Akutah announced.

Highlighting a recent achievement, Akutah noted, “Our collaboration with the shipping sub-sector has led to the successful negotiation of minimum standards for entry and exit in the sector. This achievement was only possible due to the support of all stakeholders present here.”

Akutah also lauded the council’s Compliance Unit, stating that their efforts have saved Nigeria approximately N6billion, funds that otherwise would have been lost to legal disputes and stalled operations.

“Through our conflict resolution mechanism, we have avoided costly disruptions. This work has not only improved the quality of trade but also saved our economy,” he said.

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