By Providence Ayanfeoluwa

Key regulatory agencies, trade operators and maritime journalists will converge in Lagos on December 17, 2025, for the 10th Anniversary Annual Seminar for Maritime Journalists, a strategic industry forum positioned to shape conversations around digital trade facilitation, regulatory efficiency and the economic reforms driving Nigeria’s maritime sector.

The seminar which has become a major business intelligence platform, equipping maritime journalists with the technical insight required to analyse policy decisions, market trends and operational performance within the nation’s blue economy, has helped strengthen the information value chain that supports investment decisions across ports, logistics, shipping, and inland trade corridors.

Director, National Single Window, Mr. Tola Fakolade, would lead a business dialogue on the National Single Window to clarify the commercial value of the platform, its implications for trade competitiveness, and the media’s role in communicating its benefits to the business community.

The seminar will also deliver a practical training on “Data Analysis for Effective Maritime Reporting”, anchored by the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mr. Abdullahi Maiwada.

The session aims to strengthen journalists’ ability to interpret trade statistics, cargo volumes, revenue trends and operational indicators that shape business reporting in the port and logistics ecosystem.
The Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Dr. Akutah Ukeyima, will deliver the keynote address on “regulatory efficiency, investment protection and the media’s contribution to a transparent business environment”.

The Chairman of the Occasion, Mr. Warredi Eniosuoh, brings years of private-sector and regulatory experience that align with the industry’s push for safer waterways, improved port operations and cost-efficient cargo movement.

The presence of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, as Special Guest of Honour further underscores the seminar’s relevance to ongoing customs reforms, trade automation and the government’s broader objective of reducing the cost and time of doing business at Nigeria’s ports.

According to Mr. Sesan Onileimo, CEO of First Mediacon Network Limited and convener of the seminar, “the past decade has proven that accurate, data-driven journalism is vital to the growth of the maritime economy. This platform empowers journalists with the tools to properly analyse reforms, interrogate investments and provide the business community with credible information.”

Marking a decade of consistent impact, the organisers reaffirm their commitment to strengthening the professional capacity of the maritime media, while promoting a more transparent, efficient and investment-friendly maritime environment.

This year’s edition comes at a time when Nigeria’s maritime economy is undergoing significant transformation, driven by digitalisation, regulatory restructuring and demand for greater operational transparency.