By Raheem Ibrahim<\/b><\/p>\n
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola; the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); and the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, have continued to receive accolades for their collective efforts in securing Nigeria\u2019s re-election into the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council.<\/p>\n
Several corporate bodies and individuals have expressed appreciation to the President and other stakeholders for their roles in restoring Nigeria\u2019s seat at the global maritime body under Category C.<\/p>\n
Among the organizations commending the achievement are the Senior Staff Association of Shipping, Clearing and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC) Maritime Branch, the Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association of Nigeria (WABOTAN), the Maritime Correspondents Association of Nigeria (MARCON), and the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON).<\/p>\n
SSASCGOC described Nigeria\u2019s triumphant return to Category C of the IMO Council as a milestone for the nation\u2019s maritime sector.<\/p>\n
In a statement signed by its Maritime President, Comrade Akinola Bodunde, the union congratulated the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, for his pivotal role in coordinating Nigeria\u2019s successful campaign.<\/p>\n
The statement also commended the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, and the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, for their strategic contributions.<\/p>\n
Bodunde noted that Oyetola\u2019s leadership\u2014particularly the inauguration of an Inter-Ministerial Committee\u2014was instrumental in reversing the setbacks from Nigeria\u2019s unsuccessful bids in 2011 and 2019. Through diplomatic engagement, operational coordination, and widespread international outreach, Nigeria reclaimed its position on the IMO Council, a platform critical for shaping maritime policy, securing technical assistance, and strengthening institutional capacity.<\/p>\n
He further praised Dr. Dantsoho for his commitment to improving port efficiency, safety, and infrastructure, positioning Nigeria as a competitive maritime hub in West Africa. NIMASA DG Mobereola was equally lauded for championing the ratification of six IMO conventions and enhancing Nigeria\u2019s compliance with global maritime safety standards.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeyond operational and regulatory achievements, the Minister\u2019s administration has prioritized maritime safety, environmental protection, and seafarers\u2019 welfare,\u201d Bodunde said, emphasizing that Nigeria\u2019s Category C membership ensures West Africa\u2019s strategic interests are well represented on the global stage.<\/p>\n
SSASCGOC urged maritime stakeholders to sustain the current momentum, deepen collaboration, and build on the leadership efforts that restored Nigeria\u2019s global maritime influence.<\/p>\n
Similarly, the Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association of Nigeria (WABOTAN) congratulated President Tinubu, Minister Oyetola, and the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji, on Nigeria\u2019s return to Category C.<\/p>\n
The commendation was contained in a statement signed by the National President of WABOTAN, Mr. Babatope Fajemirokun.<\/p>\n
Fajemirokun said the development marks a historic moment for Nigeria, which reclaimed its seat at the IMO Council on Friday after a decisive victory in the Category C election for the 2026\u20132027 biennium. The return, announced during the IMO General Assembly in London, is Nigeria\u2019s first in 14 years.<\/p>\n
He praised President Tinubu for strengthening maritime institutions and implementing reforms that improved the country\u2019s image among IMO member states.<\/p>\n
WABOTAN also commended Minister Oyetola for leading Nigeria\u2019s delegation and coordinating a yearlong diplomatic campaign that culminated in the victory, describing his role as crucial in projecting Nigeria\u2019s renewed commitment to maritime security, safety, and blue economy development.<\/p>\n
The Maritime Correspondents Association of Nigeria (MARCON) also hailed Nigeria\u2019s re-election into the IMO Council, calling the development a \u201chistoric achievement\u201d that reaffirms the country\u2019s relevance in international maritime governance.<\/p>\n
In a statement signed by President Ismail Aniemu and Secretary Olamide Osho, MARCON attributed the victory to the strategic leadership of Minister Oyetola and the coordinated efforts of NIMASA.<\/p>\n
According to the association, Oyetola\u2019s sustained diplomatic engagement with member states and his clear articulation of Nigeria\u2019s maritime reform agenda were critical to securing the seat. MARCON praised NIMASA for providing the technical and institutional support that strengthened Nigeria\u2019s bid, citing improvements in maritime safety, regulatory compliance, capacity building, and enhanced security in the Gulf of Guinea.<\/p>\n
MARCON noted that the Council membership offers Nigeria renewed opportunities to influence global shipping policies and advance the interests of Africa and other developing maritime nations. It urged the Ministry and NIMASA to deepen ongoing reforms and attract more investment into the maritime and blue economy sectors.<\/p>\n
Also, the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) congratulated Nigeria on its successful re-election into the IMO Council under Category C after 14 years of unsuccessful attempts.<\/p>\n
In a statement signed by its Acting President, Vera Osokpo, AMJON praised Minister Oyetola and NIMASA for the roles they played in achieving the milestone. It described the victory as a significant accomplishment that reaffirms Nigeria\u2019s growing prominence in global maritime governance.<\/p>\n
According to AMJON, the Minister\u2019s consistent engagement with IMO member states, clear articulation of reforms, and coordinated campaign efforts played a major role in securing the seat. The association also commended NIMASA for providing strong technical and institutional backing, noting the agency\u2019s progress in maritime safety administration, regulatory compliance, capacity building, and improved security in the Gulf of Guinea.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Raheem Ibrahim President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola; the Nigerian Ports<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18769,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18768","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18768"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18768\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18770,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18768\/revisions\/18770"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18768"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenewsnow.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}