League of Maritime Editors Elects Felix Kumuyi as New President, Calls for Equitable Cargo Distribution

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Victoria Silvanus

The two-day Annual General Meeting (AGM) and conference of the League of Maritime Editors ended on Thursday, August 20, 2026, with Felix Kumuyi emerging as the new President of the association.

The conference, held at BWC Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, brought together maritime journalists, regulators, port operators, government representatives and other stakeholders to deliberate on the imbalance in cargo vessel calls between Lagos and the Eastern ports.

The event was chaired by Captain Iheanacho Ebubeogu, while the election of new executives was conducted at Virgin Rose Resort ahead of the final day of the conference.

The conference had as its theme: “Lagos/Eastern Ports: How to Reverse Existing Imbalance in Disproportionate Cargo Calls.”

In her welcome address, the immediate past President of the League, Pastor (Mrs.) Remi Itie, described journalists as agenda setters with a critical responsibility to inform, educate and enlighten the public while helping to shape national policies.

She said the conference was organised to provide a platform for stakeholders to identify gaps, examine opportunities and develop practical solutions capable of contributing to the growth of Nigeria’s economy, particularly the Marine and Blue Economy.

“As journalists, one of our primary responsibilities is to set the agenda for policymakers and other arms of government. We also have a core responsibility to inform the public of happenings in our country and beyond, as well as help to educate and enlighten the citizens,” Itie said.

She said the League chose the theme to encourage a holistic examination of the reasons behind the concentration of cargo traffic in Lagos and the under-utilisation of Eastern ports.

According to her, while Western ports enjoy significant comparative advantages and contribute substantially to national revenue, there is a need to develop strategies to distribute cargo more evenly to Eastern ports and other coastal areas.

Itie urged the resource persons to critically examine the challenges affecting the Eastern ports and provide workable recommendations that could increase cargo calls and boost economic activities in the region.

She also called on the Federal Government to prioritise the mapping and development of Nigeria’s coastal areas and address pollution and waste along the coastal corridor.

She warned that pollution of coastal waters could have serious consequences for fishing communities, public health and Nigeria’s export potential in marine products.

The former president further stressed the need to examine the issues of port security, pollution, uneven vessel calls and the development of infrastructure across the nation's ports.

The conference featured presentations from major agencies in the maritime sector.

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, represented by the General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Planning, Mr. Seyi Iyawe, spoke on “Port Modernisation: Its Impact in the Maritime Industry.”

The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, represented by the agency's spokesperson, Mr. Edward Osagie, delivered a presentation on “The Essentials of Port Security and Challenges.”

The Director-General of the Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), formerly the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Dr. Pius Akutah MON, was represented by the Deputy Director, Trade Services, Adaora Nwonu, who spoke on “The Role of NSC in Ensuring Equitable Cargo Distribution Across Nigerian Ports.”

In his address, the Chairman of the occasion, Captain Ebubeogu, commended the League for choosing a theme that addressed critical issues affecting the maritime industry, particularly the economic challenges confronting the Eastern ports.

He said the choice of the theme demonstrated that maritime journalists were deeply concerned about the growth and development of the industry.

The Chairman's observations and recommendations are expected to form part of the communiqué to be issued at the conclusion of the conference.

The event was co-chaired by Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs (Rtd.), ACG Charles Edike.

Also speaking at the conference, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Chief Adegboyega Oyetola, represented by the Director of Press in the ministry, Mrs. Anastasia Ogbonna, acknowledged the challenges created by the concentration of cargo around Lagos.

The Minister said the situation had contributed to congestion, delays, increased logistics costs, demurrage and pressure on road infrastructure.

However, Oyetola dismissed concerns that the continued development of Lagos ports amounted to neglect of the Eastern ports.

“We are not developing Lagos at the expense of the East,” the Minister said.

He explained that Lagos remained Nigeria’s busiest maritime gateway and required continuous investment to address immediate pressures on the national supply chain, while government was also working to strengthen the capacity of Eastern ports.

According to him, ports such as Onne, Port Harcourt, Warri and Calabar have the potential to support industries, exports and economic activities across the South-East and South-South regions if their challenges are adequately addressed.

The Minister, however, noted that infrastructure alone would not automatically redistribute cargo, stressing that shipping lines consider factors such as draft, berth availability, cargo volumes, turnaround time, security, tariffs, connectivity and operational predictability when choosing ports.

The conference ended with the swearing-in of the newly elected executive members of the League of Maritime Editors, led by Felix Kumuyi as President, for a two-year tenure.

The new executives were sworn in by Mrs. Anastasia Ogbonna, Director of Press, Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.

The League is expected to sustain its advocacy for reforms that will promote balanced port development, improve cargo distribution and strengthen the contribution of Nigeria’s maritime sector to national economic growth. The recommendations from the conference are expected to be captured in a communiqué to be released by the association