Joyce Mmereole Okoli
The Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) has inaugurated an eight-man committee to spearhead the implementation of resolutions from the just-concluded 3rd Annual Maritime Lecture (MAMAL 2025), with a central focus on ending the controversial War Risk Insurance (WRI) premiums imposed on vessels calling at Nigerian ports.
The committee, inaugurated after the lecture held on August 27, 2025, at Four Points by Sheraton, Victoria Island, Lagos, is chaired by maritime security expert, Mr. Emmanuel Maiguwa, with Mr. Oluyinka Onigbinde serving as secretary.
Other members include veteran shipowner, Engr. Greg Ogbeifun, former NIMASA Director-General, Temisan Omatseye, MARAN President, Mr. Godfrey Bivbere, Special Assistant to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Bolaji Akinola, Protection and Indemnity (P\&I) Club consultant, Ms. Ejide Shodipo, and the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Gregory Oaemen.
The committee’s mandate is to engage with local and international stakeholders to secure the suspension of WRI premiums, which industry players argue have become unjustifiable in light of Nigeria’s improved maritime security profile.
At the lecture themed “Addressing the Burden of War Risk Insurance on Nigeria’s Maritime Trade,” stakeholders lamented that Nigerian shippers have paid over $5 billion in surcharges in the past three years.
Dr. Pius Akutah, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), represented by Director of Regulatory Affairs, Mrs. Margaret Ogbonna, maintained that the premiums were no longer defensible, noting that Nigeria has recorded four consecutive years without major piracy incidents, thanks to sustained efforts by the Navy, NIMASA, and the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy through initiatives like the Deep Blue Project and the enforcement of the SPOMO Act.
Chairman of the lecture, Engr. Ogbeifun, urged the industry to deliver measurable results before MAMAL 2026, insisting that persistent advocacy must translate into concrete outcomes.
Former NIMASA Director-General, Capt. Omatseye, criticized the London-based Joint War Risk Committee for its continued classification of Nigeria as a high-risk zone, describing the charges as discriminatory. He pointed out that Nigeria faces war risk rates of up to 0.65 percent, compared to countries with weaker security records like Pakistan, which pay as low as 0.25 percent.
NIMASA Director-General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, represented by Mr. Victor Iloh, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to sustaining maritime security gains and supporting collective advocacy to achieve the removal of the surcharge.
MARAN said the committee will follow up on resolutions, track progress, and keep stakeholders informed as part of efforts to position Nigeria as a cost competitive and secure maritime hub.