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Industry leaders, government officials and security agencies have called on maritime journalists to strengthen ethical and responsible reporting, saying credible journalism is essential to promoting accountability, attracting investment and advancing Nigeria’s maritime and blue economy aspirations.
The event attracted maritime industry leaders, government officials, security agencies, freight forwarders, and media practitioners under the theme, “Upholding Ethical Journalism for Maritime Development.”
Delivering the keynote address, the Chief Executive Officer of Indigo Integrated, Mr. Bolaji Abimbola, described journalism as a pillar of accountability, public trust, and informed citizenship, stressing that ethical reporting is essential to national and maritime development.
He said maritime development covers shipping, port operations, fisheries, offshore energy, coastal trade, and the blue economy, warning that unethical reporting could erode investor confidence, distort public perception, and hamper policy implementation.
According to him, inaccurate reports on port congestion, piracy, and maritime regulations could discourage investors and shipping operators, while sensational reporting of security incidents may create unnecessary panic.
Abimbola urged journalists to uphold truth, fairness, balance, accountability, and humanity while embracing data-driven and investigative reporting to improve public understanding of maritime issues.
He also identified economic pressures, political interference, safety concerns, and the spread of misinformation on digital platforms as major challenges confronting ethical journalism.
Earlier, the Chairman of the occasion and President of the Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN), Mr. Emmanuel Maiguwa, emphasised the need for investigative journalism to strengthen good governance and policy reforms in the sector.
He urged journalists to remain committed to factual reporting and continuous professional development to sustain public trust and contribute meaningfully to industry growth.
In his inaugural address, MARAN President, Mr. Oluyinka Onigbinde, pledged to build a stronger, united, and professionally vibrant association capable of meeting the evolving demands of maritime journalism.
He described MARAN as one of Nigeria’s oldest and most respected maritime journalism bodies, serving as a bridge between industry stakeholders and the public through decades of reforms and industry transformation.
According to him, sustainable maritime growth depends on credible information, transparency, and accountability.
“As maritime journalists, our duty goes beyond reporting events. We are expected to inform, educate, investigate, analyse and hold institutions accountable. We must resist sensationalism, reject misinformation and ensure every report is guided by truth, fairness, balance and professionalism,” he said.
Onigbinde outlined his administration’s priorities to include capacity building, investigative and data-driven journalism, digital reporting, improved member welfare, and stronger stakeholder engagement while preserving editorial independence.
Speaking on behalf of the National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Chief Tochukwu Emmanuel Ezisi, the association’s General Secretary, Mr. Godfrey Nwosu, said responsible journalism would strengthen reforms, boost investor confidence, and support industry growth.
He urged the new executives to uphold professional standards, deepen investigative reporting, embrace digital transformation, and invest in continuous capacity development, while reaffirming NAGAFF’s commitment to collaboration in training, research, information sharing, and advocacy.
Also speaking, the Commissioner of Police, Ports Authority Police (Western) Command, CP Toyin Agbaminoja, represented by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Isaac Hundeyin, commended MARAN’s role in promoting public understanding of security issues within the ports environment.
She noted that the association’s reporting has enhanced crime prevention awareness and strengthened public confidence in security agencies.
Agbaminoja assured stakeholders of the command’s commitment to maintaining a safe and business-friendly port environment through intelligence-led policing, stakeholder engagement, and inter-agency collaboration.
She further urged the new executives to build on the achievements of their predecessors and uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity throughout their tenure.
The event ended with renewed commitments by stakeholders to support ethical journalism as a tool for maritime development, institutional accountability, economic growth, and the advancement of Nigeria’s blue economy.
