“See your elevation as motivation to higher performance” – Mobereola

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has promoted nine Deputy Directors to the rank of Directors as part of a large-scale promotion exercise that also saw 234 other staff elevated across various levels.

The Governing Board of NIMASA, at its recent sitting, approved the promotion of 30 Assistant Directors to Deputy Directors, 35 Chief Officers to Assistant Directors, and ratified the advancement of 169 other staff members across different grade levels.

New directors announced

The newly appointed Directors include the Coordinator of the Abuja Liaison Office, Mrs Moji Jimoh; Director of Internal Audit, Dr Odunayo Ani; Special Adviser to the Director General, Mrs Nneka Obianyor; Director of Procurement, Mrs Biodun Fatade; Dr Oma Ofodile; Ms Gloria Anyasodo; Mr Abdulahi Yelwa; Mr Umar Buba and Mr Umar Ibrahim Sidi.

DG Mobereola commends staff

Congratulating the promoted officers, NIMASA’s Director General, Dr Dayo Mobereola, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to staff welfare and transparent, merit-driven career growth.

He urged the newly elevated officials to view their promotions as encouragement to deliver even better results in service delivery.

“Our administration is committed to improved staff welfare. This promotion exercise is strictly merit-based, and we expect staff to reciprocate by rededicating themselves to higher productivity. We will continue to prioritize staff welfare, while counting on your commitment to the ideals of the Agency in helping Management actualize its mandate,” Mobereola stated.

A transparent system

The DG stressed that the elevation exercise reflected NIMASA’s focus on fairness and performance. According to him, the agency’s leadership expects the newly promoted officers to set a higher standard of professionalism in maritime regulation, safety, and development.

Staff welfare at the centre

Dr Mobereola added that the promotions were not just a recognition of past performance but also a call to greater responsibility.

Industry stakeholders see the development as part of efforts to strengthen NIMASA’s capacity to deliver on its mandate of regulating shipping, ensuring maritime safety, and supporting Nigeria’s blue economy.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Economic Society (NES) are strengthening their partnership to promote national economic development, with both institutions aligning policy research and trade operations ahead of the Society’s 2025 Annual Conference in Abuja.

The conference, themed around economic transformation, will run from 8–11 September 2025 in the Federal Capital Territory.

NES Visits Customs Headquarters

On Wednesday, 13 August 2025, NES National President, Professor Adeola Adenikinju, led a delegation of Governing Council members and the FCT Chapter Chairman to pay a courtesy visit to the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, at the Service’s headquarters in Abuja.

During the meeting, the Comptroller-General highlighted the importance of collaboration between both institutions in driving sustainable economic policies.

“While the NES provides evidence-based economic research and policy recommendations, the NCS plays a pivotal role in trade facilitation, revenue generation, and the enforcement of fiscal policies that directly shape the economy,” Adeniyi said.

He further stressed that bridging the gap between economic research and real-time trade operations at Nigeria’s borders would foster policy efficiency and improve the country’s competitiveness in global trade.

Customs Chief Nominated for Public Service Award

Professor Adenikinju formally invited the CGC to the September conference, noting that his presence would enrich discussions on economic transformation.

The NES President also announced that Adeniyi has been nominated for the 2025 Distinguished Public Service Award (DPSNES), one of the Society’s most prestigious honours.

Explaining the rationale, Adenikinju said:

“Customs’ unique access to trade data, revenue trends, and cross-border economic activity makes it a crucial partner in shaping sound economic policies. The Comptroller-General’s nomination reflects his leadership in modernising Customs operations, boosting revenue, and implementing reforms that have enhanced economic stability.”

The NES added that the DPSNES Award recognises public servants who have made a tangible impact on Nigeria’s economic development, citing Adeniyi’s leadership in digitisation, improved revenue collection, and trade facilitation reforms as reasons for his selection.

Driving Nigeria’s Development Agenda

Analysts note that the partnership between NES and Customs comes at a critical time as Nigeria seeks to expand non-oil revenue sources, improve trade competitiveness, and stabilise fiscal policies.

The collaboration is expected to play a central role in shaping government decisions on taxation, import-export frameworks, and macroeconomic planning.

With both research-driven policy recommendations and operational reforms working hand-in-hand, observers say Nigeria could be better positioned to accelerate inclusive growth.

The Congress of Maritime Media Practitioners (CONMMEP) has announced a strategic partnership with Chief Bestman Nze Jumbo, a prominent member of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s kitchen cabinet and President of Team Nigeria for Change.

The collaboration, which was cemented during a recent meeting in Lagos, is expected to foster joint efforts in tackling security challenges, preventing land grabbing, and promoting inclusivity in governance.

Chief Jumbo, who is also the Publisher of Eko Mii Eko E and MD/CEO of Image Expressions Limited, described the alliance as a platform for constructive engagement between media stakeholders and the Lagos State Government.

“Security has really improved in Lagos. I can’t remember the last time I heard there was a bank robbery or that ‘area boys’ collected a car. The government has put effective measures in place, and Lagosians are better for it,” Chief Jumbo told CONMMEP representatives.

Addressing Security Through Collaboration

Chief Jumbo identified unchecked migration from within and outside Nigeria as one of Lagos’s major security concerns, stressing that better coordination among states could help.

He advocated a knowledge-sharing model, where states could learn from Lagos’s successes in security and governance.

“Just like Lagos partnered with Kebbi on rice production, other states can learn from Lagos’s security strategies,” he said, adding that unemployment and illiteracy remain fertile grounds for crime.

Jumbo also praised Lagos’s alternative security approach, which integrates former street youth into community intelligence and crime prevention roles.

Promoting Inclusivity and Diversity

On governance, Chief Jumbo said Lagos remains Nigeria’s most inclusive state, citing examples of non-indigenes holding senior government roles.

“Presently, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor is from Delta. I work directly with the Governor and I’m not Yoruba. In Lagos, you see PDP, ADC, and Labour Party members cooperating with the APC government. That’s mature politics,” he said.

He emphasised that this inclusivity extends across ethnic and religious lines and has become a sustainable governance model followed by successive administrations.

Tackling Land Grabbing

Chief Jumbo, who is set to head enforcement for a new Lagos anti-land grabbing agency, urged property buyers to verify documents before making payments.

“You cannot eradicate crime 100%, but you can checkmate it. Lagos’s land grabbing agency has done a fantastic job, but citizens must also verify documents before buying,” he warned.

A Multifaceted Public Figure

Beyond politics, Chief Jumbo runs an advertising and events company, publishes a newspaper, and leads an NGO that supports education and youth empowerment. He has worked with leaders across party lines in Lagos, Abia, Ogun, and Kogi States.

He recalled his time in Kogi as a senior political operative under Governor Yahaya Bello, where he played a key role in youth mobilisation and security stabilisation.