Determined to enhance ports efficiency, the Nigerian Ports Consultative Council has concluded plans to forge a strategic partnership with the British Ports Association.

The Chairman of NPCC, Mr Bolaji Sunmola, disclosed this during the quarterly meeting of the council in Lagos on Friday.

The meeting, which also featured the inauguration of the NPCC pioneer Board of Trustees members, was themed, ‘Digital information and data management for sustainable marine and blue economy’

Speaking at the meeting, Sunmola observed that a delegation of NPCC is set to travel to London to explore and exchange ideas to reform and reposition Nigeria’s maritime sector.

Sunmola remarked that Nigerian seaports are the lifeblood of the nation’s economy, adding that the theme was apt.

“Every inefficiency at the port gate ripples across our national productivity. Every delay in customs processing translates to a loss of revenue. Every misalignment in our regulatory framework weakens investors’ confidence. But every solution we build together brings us one step closer to transforming Nigeria into a regional maritime powerhouse,” Sunmola said.

According to him, the key lies in collaboration. He maintained that the NPCC is not a standalone council, “we are a bridge between government and the private sector, between ideas and execution, between challenges and real solutions. With the inauguration of our BoT members today, we are reinforcing that bridge with wisdom, experience, and strategic oversight.”

Sunmola assured the gathering that NPCC would continue to challenge old systems, propose bold ideas, and commit to action.

“As our council continues to grow in responsibility and reach, I am confident that with the backing of our newly inaugurated BoT and the support of every stakeholder in this room, the financing of the council will receive a significant boost,” Sunmola stated.

The Vice Chairman of NPCC, Mrs Jean Chiazor Anishere, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, noted that the council entered a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigerian Ports Authority as part of its reengineering process.

“The new NPCC has been registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, which beefs up its legitimacy and operational integrity. We now have an active and engaging website. We have revamped the NPCC secretariat,” she said.

Anishere added that NPCC has also partnered with the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, “to improve port efficiency and training.”

“We have had strategic engagements with the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, among others,” Anishere mentioned.

She stressed that the NPCC is expanding its network globally with a stand already secured for the next Offshore Technology Conference 2025 in Houston, Texas.

In his goodwill remarks, the Director-General of NECA, Adewale Smatt-Oyerinde, who was represented by Mr Thompson Akpabio, urged the newly inaugurated BoT of NPCC to leave positive footprints in the sector.

“The NPCC should lead industry discourse and sponsor bills that would affect the ports positively, having taken into consideration the views of labour unions, workers, operators, and global best practices,” he said.

Thompson, however, reassured that NECA is ready and willing to work with the NPCC to achieve a more efficient port environment.

Professor Bamidele Badejo from the Lagos State University described critical challenges in marine data management and digital information systems as major setbacks to the growth of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy.

Badejo, in his paper presentation, emphasised the need for a robust, technology-driven framework to effectively harness the nation’s ocean resources.

“There’s also the issue of data privacy and ownership. Striking a balance between open-access information and protecting proprietary interests or national security concerns continues to be a delicate challenge,” he remarked.

The new NPCC Board of Trustees includes: former Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Hassan Bello; CEO, Lelook Bags Academy, Chief (Mrs.) Chinwe Ezenwa, Alhaji Muhammed Bambado, Alhaji Abayomi Adigun, Mallam Bello Gwandu, Mr. Bolaji Sunmola, and Mrs Jean Chiazor Anishere, SAN. They were inaugurated by Justice Folashade Bankole Oki (Rtd).