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The Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Akutah Pius MON, has attributed the growth of the nation’s Marine and Blue Economy to the transformational leadership of President Bola Tinubu.
Akutah stated this on Wednesday, during the opening of the Council’s Special Management Retreat held in Lagos themed: “Achieving Strategic Intents Through Performance Lens.”
The NSC boss stated that under Mr. President’s direction, the Federal Government has made an unambiguous statement through the creation of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy – entrusted with transforming Nigeria’s vast ocean economy into a catalyst for diversification, growth, and sustainability.
His words: “We are in a new era and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council can no longer afford to operate as a process-heavy, paper-driven bureaucracy. We must now define our success not by our activities, but by our outcomes. Not by intentions, but by results.
“The Federal Government, through its National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, has placed performance at the centre of national development. It is a call for institutions like ours to show leadership in facilitating trade, improving port efficiency, strengthening inter-agency coordination, accelerating port infrastructure delivery, enhancing stakeholder confidence, and mainstreaming sustainability across the logistics value chain.
“We are equally privileged to be under the astute leadership of the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, whose visionary approach, steady guidance, and tireless commitment have galvanized key institutions within the sector, including our own Council, to embrace innovation, reform, and measurable impact.”
However, to enhance operations at NSC Akutah unveiled an ambitious five-year reform anchored on purpose-driven bureaucracy, digitalisation and frequent measurable impact.
According to Akutah, the retreat is in line with the Council’s key target of migrating all internal processes to its Enterprise Content Management (ECM) platform by the end of the third quarter (Q3) of 2025.
Dr. Akutah emphasized that the Council can no longer operate as a bureaucracy focused on processes and paperwork. Instead, he said the focus must now be on measurable results and outcomes.
He announced that all departments must complete the migration of internal memos, approvals, correspondences, and record-keeping to the ECM platform by the end of Q3 2025.
The Executive Secretary also highlighted the implementation of a Key Performance Indicator (KPI)-based staff appraisal system as a critical component of the Council’s five-year strategy (2025–2029).
He directed the Human Resource Management (HRM) and Strategic Planning, Research and Development (SPRD) departments to finalize and activate individual performance contracts in Q3, making clear that future promotions, postings, and recognitions would be tied directly to performance outcomes.
In terms of infrastructure, Dr. Akutah reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to delivering key projects such as the Jos Inland Dry Port, Gateway IDP in Ogun, Kano Dala IDP, Potiskum Vehicle Transit Area (VTA), and various Border Information Centres.
He directed zonal coordinators and the Inland Transport Services Department to submit fortnightly updates, while also pledging to personally monitor project timelines, budget implementation, and stakeholder engagement.
“To enhance port efficiency, the Regulatory Services and ICT departments have been tasked with developing a real-time dashboard, in collaboration with terminal operators and the Nigeria Customs Service. The dashboard will monitor key metrics such as vessel turnaround time and cargo dwell time and will form part of monthly performance reviews with the Executive Secretary’s office,” he said.
Also on the Q3 agenda are new initiatives to improve stakeholder engagement and transparency. These include the institutionalisation of quarterly stakeholder forums, the release of regulatory newsletters, and the introduction of a formal complaint-resolution tracker to be handled by the PR Unit, Consumer Affairs, and Strategic Planning departments.
Meanwhile, the NSC Director of the Strategic Planning and Research Department, Mr. Rotimi Anifowose, emphasized that the twin activities of report validation and performance bond signing represent a reaffirmation of the Council’s commitment to result-driven operations.
“Validation is not just a procedural step. It is a reaffirmation of our collective ownership of the strategy. It ensures the final document reflects our aspirations, challenges, and priorities for the next five years.” he noted.
Mr Anifowose observed that the recently concluded strategic planning session was not a routine exercise, but a reflective and inclusive engagement that aimed to realign the institution’s vision, mission, and strategic goals in response to current realities and future expectations.
He, however, thanked the NSC Executive Secretary for the unwavering support, strategic guidance, and strong leadership that have brought the Council to such admirable point.
