MAMAL 2026: Port Modernisation No Longer a Choice, but a Necessity — NAGAFF President

The President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, High Chief Tochukwu Ezisi, has described the modernisation of Nigeria’s ports as a necessity, urging the government to embrace automation, digitalisation and smart infrastructure to position the country as a maritime hub in West and Central Africa. Ezisi made the call on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at the 4th Annual Maritime Lecture of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria, MARAN, held in Lagos, where he was also honoured as a Patron of MARAN. The NAGAFF Founder, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, commended MARAN for the recognition, describing Ezisi as a capacity-driven leader and reaffirming NAGAFF’s commitment to professional standards and collaboration with the maritime media. In her keynote address, former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority and Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Policy Coordination and Head of the Central Delivery Coordination Unit, Hadiza Bala Usman, said port modernisation goes beyond infrastructure. She stressed the need for digitalisation, institutional reform, efficient cargo evacuation, and a predictable and transparent tariff regime, while identifying six critical dimensions of port modernisation. Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of the event and Executive Director, Operations and Technical, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Capt. Warredi Enisuoh, warned that efforts to modernise Nigerian ports would have limited impact unless equal attention was paid to activities outside the port gates. The event also featured goodwill messages from industry players and a panel discussion focusing on port modernisation, infrastructure, tariffs, and Nigeria’s competitiveness as a regional maritime gateway. As Nigeria pushes to strengthen its position in regional maritime trade, industry experts say modernising the ports is no longer a matter of choice, but a critical step towards building a more efficient, competitive and globally connected maritime sector.