The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Bayelsa State counterpart, Governor Douye Diri, are among eminent Nigerians that will be celebrated for their sterling contributions in the maritime sector at the 2025 Maritime Industry Merit Awards (MIMA).
Sanwo-Olu will be honoured as the Most Outstanding Governor (Maritime Infrastructure Development) while the Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri will be celebrated as the Best Maritime Friendly Governor.
In a statement released weekend by Local Organising Committee, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Chief Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, will be receiving the Marine and Blue Economy Pacesetter Award; while the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Pius Akutah, will be celebrated as the 2024 Maritime Man of the Year.
A statement signed by the Chairman of the Local Organizing Planning Committee, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, disclosed that the programme, slated for April 15th at Lagos Oriental hotel, will be the 27th edition of the annual event.
Shittu, who is also a former National President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), revealed that the event will be chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume.
Other awardees include; Most Outstanding Agency in Indigenous Shipping Development – Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB); Most Promising Maritime CEO 2024 – Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, MD/CEO Nigerian Ports Authority; Most Innovative South-East (Ndi-Igbo) Entrepreneur – Chief Michael Onuoha; Most Outstanding Niger-Delta Personality of the Year 2024 – High Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo.
The Dr. Adewale Adeyanju Award for Seafarer of the Year 2024, was won by Comrade Francis Bunu; Maritime Woman of the Year 2024, went to Engr. Sarat Braimah, Lagos Area Manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA); Most Outstanding Customs Area Controller (Anti-Drug) – ACG Dera Nnadi mni; Most Outstanding Customs Area Controller (Revenue Generation) – Comptroller Babatunde Olomu; Most Outstanding Customs Area Controller (Anti-Smuggling) – Comptroller Mohammed Babandede.
Others are; Best Customs Duty Collecting Bank – Zenith Bank; Most Outstanding Terminal Operator in 2024 – West African Container Terminal (WACT); Most Outstanding Shipping Company in 2024 – SIFAX; Most Outstanding Port Manager – Mr. Sylvester Egede; the Pius Akutah Prize for Most Outstanding Maritime Journalist was won by Mr. Tola Adenubi of Nigerian Tribune; Most Outstanding Tourism Journalist – Mr. Frank Meke; Innovative Leadership in Downstream Oil and Gas Sector – Mr Victor Kalu; Prince Olayiwola Shittu Award for the Most Outstanding Customs Broker was won by Prince Olusegun Oduntan; and Capt Paul Mandela Ogoun won the Most Outstanding Master Mariner.
The organisers of the MIMA 2025 extolled the innovative leadership skills of the recipients which earned the respective awardees recognition, even as it stressed that the nominations were done after industry-wide consultations.
Other members of the event’s Local Organizing Committee include; Mr. Frank Meke, Mr. Innocent Orok, Mr. Sylvanus Ekpo, Mrs. Shulammite Olowofoyeku, Mrs. Vera Osokpo and Mr. Kenneth Jukpor.
