Atukah to Attend MARAN Summit, Calls for Removal of Nigeria from War Risk List

By Joy Enamuna

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Akutah Pius MON, has declared that Nigeria should not be classified as a war risk zone, stressing that such designation is unjustified and economically harmful.

Dr. Akutah made the remark on Thursday while receiving a delegation from the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) at the NSC headquarters in Lagos.

“Does Nigeria have any business being in the war risk zone?” he queried, citing the absence of terrorist attacks in Nigerian waters over the past three years.

He commended MARAN for its dedication to reforms and cost-reduction advocacy within the maritime sector.

Speaking on the forthcoming MARAN Annual Maritime Lecture (MAMAL) 2025, themed “Addressing the Burden of War Risk Insurance on Nigerian Maritime Trade”, Akutah described the subject as both timely and critical to the nation’s trade competitiveness.

“We are partners and I can tell the contribution your association is bringing to the table. We are very proud of what you are doing,” the NSC boss said.

He praised the organisers for championing the removal of war risk insurance charges on Nigerian-bound cargo, noting that the current classification drives up port costs and undermines the nation’s competitiveness.

According to him, high port charges have long been a concern, with excessive fees contributing to Nigeria’s uncompetitive maritime environment. He added that the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, is already leading efforts to have Nigeria removed from the list, but stressed that such advocacy must involve all industry stakeholders.

“This is how we will develop our sector by being proactive and not only criticising but also bringing solutions to the table,” he stated.

Akutah assured that the NSC will fully participate in this year’s MAMAL, just as it has in previous editions, and expressed his personal commitment to attending the event due to its alignment with the Council’s mandate of reducing port business costs.

Earlier, MARAN President, Mr. Godfrey Bivbere, commended the Council’s efforts in addressing port challenges. He suggested a broader engagement with the United African Shippers’ Council (UASC) and the Global Shippers Forum (GSF) to eliminate the burden of war risk insurance.