Author: Saint Augustine

January 1st, 2021 marked the start of trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. In ratifying the agreement, 34 African countries have created the largest free trade zone in the world by country participation. This is a historic point for the continent, it is the beginning of what is hoped will, at the very least, form a workable framework for a modern African economy. An African economy that will allow free movement of labor and goods within member States – a drastic change from the current siloed economic structures, and hopes to foster intra-African trade, industrialization and…

As the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) gets set for the takeoff of the electronic call up system at the nation’s seaports, the Council of Maritime Truck Unions and Associations (COMTUA) has called on NPA to immediately deploy the system without further delay. The Public Relations Officer, COMTUA, Alhaji Abdullahi Inuwa Mohammed who made this call in a chat with our correspondent in Lagos on Wednesday said that the truckers were now ready for the takeoff of the project so that it would reduce some other malpractice along the port corridor. His words, “We are fully prepared waiting…

Two United Nations agencies say that 43 African migrants died when a ship they were on capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Libya. In a joint statement, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) say the vessel overturned in rough seas after its engine quit a few hours after leaving the city of Zawya early Tuesday. The agencies say a “partner on the ground,” the International Rescue Committee, reports 10 survivors were rescued by coastal security and brought to shore. The survivors say all the passengers were men from West African countries. The…

A chieftain of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Alhaji Abdullahi Inuwa Mohammed has called for synergy between the officials of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Lagos Taskforce on the decongestion of Apapa traffic so as to consolidate on the gains achieved so far by the disbanded Presidential task team. Speaking in an interview with our correspondent in Lagos yesterday, Alhaji Mohammed stated that this could be achieved if the NPA management shares vital information with the Lagos State team in such a manner that it would aid them in the discharge of their duty to…

Sequel to the ratification of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement by member nations, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said that it has found it pertinent to inform the public about steps which must be taken to enable it’s smooth and full implementation. The Service in statement by its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Attah, noted that instead of proceeding in a chaotic manner, the Nigeria Customs Service as policy implementor understood the importance of spelling out the roles and responsibilities of all parties in the agreement and the conditions attendant on its implementation. While re-confirming the…

SIFAX Group has won two awards from one of the leading newspapers in Nigeria, the New Telegraph Newspapers. The awards are Company of the Year and Investor of the Year 2020 awards. The award was bestowed on the company by the management of New Telegraph Newspaper at the Group’s corporate head office, at Apapa, Lagos. At the presentation, Juliet Bumah, Sunday Editor, New Telegraph noted that the choice of SIFAX Group for both awards was not far-fetched owing to its aggressive expansion both in Nigeria and overseas. “After reading the profile of the company, our panel of judges and editors…

As part of the project, Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (A-TIPSOM), which is funded by European Union, the International and Ibero-America Foundation for Administration and Public Policy (FIIAPP) is organizing a three-day training for Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) officers on Immigration Legislation and Act. Participants are majorly instructors from the various training institutions of Nigeria Immigration Service with a blend of other core officers from the Service Headquarters and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) command. According to a statement in Abuja on Monday by the Service Public Relations Officer, Mr. Sunday James, they are carefully selected…

The Board of Directors of Starzs Investments Company Limited have approved the appointment of Ms Iroghama Obuoforibo as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company with effect from 1st February, 2021. This is coming on the heel of Mr. Greg Ogbeifun’s retirement as Chief Executive Officer having attained Thirty Five (35) years of meritorious service to the company and over Forty (40) years of impact in the maritime industry. Iroghama Obuoforibo, who has been the Chief Operating Officer of the company since 2014, is a high achieving senior executive with a strong commercial, financial and operational track record spanning over…

SIFAX Group, a group of companies with investment in Maritime, Aviation, Oil & Gas, Haulage & Logistics, Financial Services and Hospitality, has rewarded and honoured 46 staff at its annual Long Service Award ceremony. The SIFAX Group Long Service Award is an annual event where deserving staff, who have served for a minimum period of ten years, are rewarded with cash gifts for their meritorious, consistent and outstanding service to the company. The awardees received their gifts at a private ceremony held across various subsidiaries recently. Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, Group Executive Vice Chairman, SIFAX Group, applauded the staff for their…

Worried by the double handling of customs assessments of shippers’ cargo by the operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other matters connected thereto, the Shippers’ Association Lagos State (SALS) has said that it is mobilising to send Intervention Team into the ports to protect her members. The President of the association, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Nicol who made this disclosure in a statement in Lagos noted that the Intervention Team was long overdue as the association would no longer condone a situation where any of the importers or shipper should be the target by illegal compliance team when the…