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CONMMEP Cautions Minister Oyetola on NNSL Rebuilding Initiative*

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*CONMMEP Cautions Minister Oyetola on NNSL Rebuilding Initiative*

 

 

The Congress Of Nigerian Maritime Media Practitioners (CONMMEP), has issued a cautionary statement to the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, urging him to avoid the pitfalls observed in Hadi A. Sirika’s failed bid to resucitate the defunct Nigeria Airways in the implementation of the Blue Economy initiative.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a comprehensive analysis following the Minister’s recent public speech at the just concluded Stakeholders’ Roundtable on Advancing Sustainable Development in Nigeria’s Marine and Blue Economy in Lagos and specifically on the rebuilding of the Nigeria National Shipping Line (NNSL), CONMMEP expresses apprehensions over lack of specificity in the government’s plan, particularly in capturing the $10 billion ship charter market.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Association highlightes concerns arising from the Minister’s emphasis on the re-establishment of the Nigerian National Shipping Lines (NNSL) without providing concrete details on its implementation strategies, leaving stakeholders in the dark about the actual mechanisms for achieving the initiative’s objectives. Vague terms like “substantial share” and “strategic PPP arrangement” were identified as lacking transparency and requiring further clarification and only makes it all look high falutin in all considerations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONMMEP in a statement signed by its President, Alhaji Tunde Umar-Daniah, questions the Minister’s claim that the initiative would not impede local players’ growth, raising concerns about potential negative impacts on existing businesses. The fact of omitting the conflicts or challenges associated with giving Nigerians exclusive control over locally generated seaborne trade especially in light of the recently signed African Continental Free Trade Area- AfCFTA presents some measure of uncertainty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The neglect of older and retired seafarers who served the NNSL for over 28 years was highlighted, emphasising a lack of inclusion in the Minister’s plan. Also, the absence of a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis have left many stakeholders confused and rather in head-scratching mode about the potential financial implications and risks associated with such a venture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONMMEP criticises the haphazard selective invitation of Maritime stakeholders, non official inclusion of all the litoral States and other relevant organisations like the Nigerian Navy to be a wrong start coupled with the shoddy organisation and juxtaposition of dignitaries from one seat to the other at the event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite linking it to the President’s priorities, the speech neither provided a clear timeline for implementation nor did it establish a direct connection between the national shipping line and these priorities, thus creating a disjointed narrative.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The press statement notes that the speech leaned heavily on the benefits of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models without addressing potential pitfalls or challenges associated with this approach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONMMEP also emphasises that the speech which hints at innovation through PPP models failed to outline specific measures for its implementation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anticipations of substantial job opportunities, the statement added, lacked a detailed plan on job creation or sustainability and is without clear metrics to measure the initiative’s success.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indeed, the focus on utilising Inland Rivers, Lakes, and Waterways for cargo shipment and passenger transportation was noted, but details on safety measures and strategies to mitigate these risks were also lacking, potentially risking accidents or mishaps leaving stakeholders uncertain about the ability to address unforseen challenges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, since government is a continuum, it will be advisable for the Honourable Minister to revisit what his predecessor did in this regard. The former Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, did set up a committee involving two ministries-Ministry of Transportation and the Labour Ministry respectively. The said committee was charged with the responsibility of carrying out physical verification exercise of the aged Seafarers, which if well managed would bring some sort of succour; but with this recent speech, the story is still the same. It is indeed unfortunate to note here that the said committee never met since it was set up by the last administration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONMMEP therefore urges the honourable Minister, Oyetola to address these concerns promptly and transparently to ensure the success and sustainability of the NNSL rebuilding initiative and the holistic growth of the Marine and Blue economy.

 

CONMMEP Cautions Minister Oyetola on NNSL Rebuilding Initiative*

McAnthony Onuoha
CONMMEP P.R.O

Business

Dennis Ekamah Isn’t Building Houses—He’s Redefining What Home Means for Africans Through PropTech

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Dennis Ekamah Isn’t Building Houses—He’s Redefining What Home Means for Africans Through PropTech.

 

The founder of coHouse.ng is reimagining how millions of Africans access, experience, and share housing through technology.

 

In Africa’s rapidly evolving innovation landscape, the most transformative companies are no longer defined by the industries they enter, but by the systems they redesign.

 

For Dennis Ekamah, the opportunity was never about constructing buildings, it was about confronting a deeper question.

 

why is access to housing still so structurally difficult for millions of Africans in a digital age?

 

Rather than stepping into real estate as a developer. Dennis chose a different path, positioning coHouse.ng as a PropTech platform rethinking how housing is accessed, experienced, and shared. At the heart of this vision which is connecting potential home owners together via resource pooling for the purpose of either Living or Growth. Simply, *Connect. Live. Grow.*

 

*A Platform Not a Property Company*

 

coHouse.ng is not a real estate company. It is a technology-driven ecosystem connecting like-minded individuals into structured communities where they can live intentionally, invest collectively, and grow within a shared system.

 

From Insight to Recognition

 

In 2025, coHouse.ng was recognised among the Top 50 Tech Startups in Africa. Even ahead of its official launch, the platform attracted over 1,000 early waitlist users, individuals eager to be part of a new way of living and investing.

 

Solving for Access, Alignment, and Trust

 

Dennis Ekamah’s diagnosis goes deeper than supply shortfalls. The real barriers he argues are access, coordination, and trust. coHouse.ng tackles all three through identity verification powered by a third party verification system api. coHouse is not flying solo without the help and collaboration with government bodies across Nigeria and other African countries.

 

In his words;

“Imagine what you would achieve as an individual or group if you’re living with the right people or like-minded individuals around you.”

 

I’m not a developer, I’m not a professional realtor, I’m just someone who sees the need for this solution based on the problem we face as youth/young entrepreneurs in today’s housing deficiency across Africa.

— Dennis Ekamah

 

Join our waitlist by visiting www.cohouse.ng

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Business

Landmark Judgment: Federal High Court Dismisses ₦50bn Oil Spill Claim Against ExxonMobil

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Landmark Judgment: Federal High Court Dismisses ₦50bn Oil Spill Claim Against ExxonMobil

 

The Federal High Court sitting in Uyo has dismissed a ₦50 billion lawsuit filed against ExxonMobil, sued as Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, now Seplat Energy Producing, in a ruling analysts say could significantly reshape oil spill litigation and compensation claims in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.

Delivering judgment on April 29, 2026, Justice Onyetenu held that the suit instituted by the Ejige Ore Njenyisi Muma & Fishing Co-operative Society Ltd was incompetent and liable to dismissal for lack of jurisdiction.

The plaintiffs had sought ₦50 billion in damages over an alleged hydrocarbon spill said to have occurred on September 12, 2021.

However, counsel to the defendant, Chinonso Ekuma of KENNA LP, successfully argued that the claimants failed to disclose any legally recognisable violation attributable to the oil firm.

In its findings, the court held that the plaintiffs failed to establish any actionable wrongdoing against the defendant.

A key element in the court’s decision was the Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) Report tendered by the plaintiffs themselves, which showed that the alleged spill incident was confined within ExxonMobil’s operational facility and did not impact the members of the cooperative society or their sources of livelihood.

The court further ruled that claims arising from such incidents must be pursued strictly under the statutory compensation framework provided in Section 11(5) of the Oil Pipelines Act, rather than through common-law claims founded on negligence or nuisance.

Justice Onyetenu held that the plaintiffs’ attempt to circumvent the statutory regime by framing the suit as a tort action rendered the matter incompetent before the court, thereby depriving it of jurisdiction.

Legal analysts say the judgment reinforces the supremacy of the Oil Pipelines Act in determining compensation procedures relating to oil pipeline incidents and environmental claims in Nigeria.

The ruling is also seen as strengthening the evidential weight of Joint Investigation Visit Reports, particularly in cases where such reports indicate no direct impact on claimants or host communities.

Industry observers believe the judgment will have far-reaching implications for future oil spill litigation, especially regarding the procedural requirements for compensation claims against oil operators.

The court’s decision further provides clarity for operators within Nigeria’s energy sector by reaffirming that compliance with Section 11(5) of the Oil Pipelines Act is mandatory and cannot be sidestepped through alternative legal formulations.

While K.O. Uzuokwu appeared for the plaintiffs, the defence was led by Chinonso Ekuma of KENNA LP on behalf of ExxonMobil.

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Union Bank Honoured by ASBON at Nigeria National SME Business Awards

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Union Bank Honoured by ASBON at Nigeria National SME Business Awards

 

 

Lagos, Nigeria – Union Bank of Nigeria has reaffirmed its reputation as a strong supporter of Nigerian businesses, receiving the Best SME Growth Banking Initiatives Award for 2025 from the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON) at the Nigeria National SME Business Awards, held recently in Lagos.

The award was presented to the Bank in recognition of its strategic leadership in advancing the growth and resilience of small and medium-sized enterprises, through a differentiated suite of solutions designed to enable business expansion and long-term value creation.

Receiving the award on behalf of the Bank, Ayokunnumi Abraham, Head of SME Segment at Union Bank, described the recognition as a strong endorsement of the Bank’s commitment to supporting small and medium-sized businesses. He said:

“We are honoured to receive this recognition, which reflects Union Bank’s continued commitment to helping SMEs grow by making banking simpler, faster, and more accessible. Through enhancements to our specialised platforms such as Union360, we have meaningfully reduced the time it takes for businesses to come on board and begin transacting. These improvements have shortened onboarding, increased digital adoption among our SME customers, and supported the acquisition of new business clients. Our focus remains on delivering practical solutions that help Nigerian businesses thrive.”

Organised by ASBON in partnership with the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, the event convened stakeholders from the public and private sectors to recognise individuals and organisations driving meaningful impact across Nigeria’s SME ecosystem.

Union Bank remains focused on deepening its support for SMEs through customer-led solutions and processes that strengthen business growth across the ecosystem.

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