2025 Management Retreat: Akutah says work plans must reflect national policy on Marine and Blue Economy

 

 

Segun Oladipupo

 

 

At the Nigerian Shippers’ Council 2025 Annual Management System Retreat, the departments of the agency have been enjoined to ensure that their work plans reflect national policy on Marine and Blue Economy.

 

The Retreat called for a clear mandate for the agency to realign its operations with the nation’s renewed maritime ambitions.

 

 

The NSC’s 2025 retreat which held between July 23 to 24,

 

The retreat which held in Lagos, has the theme: “Achieving Strategic Intents Through Performance Lens ” as the theme.

 

The retreat also marked a watershed moment for Nigeria’s shipping sector, signaling decisive steps toward efficiency, accountability, and innovation in the country’s quest for maritime prosperity.

 

Delivering the keynote address, Executive Secretary / CEO of the NSC, Dr. Pius Ukeyima. Akutah, emphasized the Council’s pivotal role in the Federal Government’s emerging blue economy agenda.

 

The Executive Secretary declared the era of bureaucracy and paper-driven operations over, urging staffers to measure success through tangible outcomes rather than mere activity.

 

Akutah called on the various departments to ensure that their annual work plans reflect the national policy on Marine and Blue Economy, with mandatory quarterly reports evidencing alignment to be submitted to both the office of the Executive Secretary and the Ministry

 

He added that the Council is set to fully deploy its Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system by December 2025, with a strict deadline for all internal communications to transition from manual processes by Q3 2025. Departments failing to comply will face administrative sanctions.

 

As Stakeholders Say MD Not Living Up To Expectation

Akutah further unveiled a five-year strategic plan, listing imperatives that include:

 

Facilitating trade and improving port efficiency; strengthening inter-agency coordination and accelerating port infrastructure; enhancing stakeholder confidence and embedding sustainability throughout logistics.

 

Furthermore, he stressed the need to address port inefficiencies, committing to reduce cargo dwell times and vessel turnaround to regional standards, adding that a planned integrated dashboard will facilitate real-time monitoring of port metrics and form part of monthly performance reviews.

 

According to him, the Council will introduce an induction process for new hires and launch a leadership innovation development series for senior officers beginning in Q3 2025.

 

On stakeholder relations, Akutah noted that Units responsible for public relations, consumer affairs, and strategic planning must institutionalize stakeholder forums, regular newsletters, and a formal complaints tracker.

 

The Executive Secretary also outlined key infrastructure projects—including Jos Inland Dry Port, Gateway IDP (Ogun), Kano Dala IDP, and Potiskum VTA—which have been tasked with moving beyond paperwork into tangible execution. Progress on these , he stressed will be monitored through biweekly reports, with a personal commitment from him to oversee timelines and budgets.

 

The NCS boss reiterated his trust in the Council’s leadership and staff, emphasizing that “performance is not an option. It is the new culture.”

 

He expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and Minister Oyetola for their visionary guidance, calling on every NSC member to embrace the reforms and return from the retreat equipped with actionable plans and a renewed sense of urgency.

 

Speaking earlier, Director, Strategic Planning and Research Department , NSC ,Rotimi Anifowoshe affirmed that the event marked a major milestone as stakeholders gathered for the validation of the department’s recently concluded strategic planning session report and the formal signing of a performance bond between the Executive Secretary and Heads of Departments and Units.

 

Addressing participants at the event, the Director of Strategic Planning and Research emphasized that the occasion underscored the institution’s enduring commitment to accountability, results-based performance, and continuous improvement in service delivery.

 

He called for constructive engagement and candid feedback from all participants, urging commitment to the spirit of performance, excellence, and innovation as the organization charts its path forward.

 

Anifowoshe described the strategic planning session as “a participatory and reflective engagement,” designed to reassess and realign the organization’s vision, mission, and goals in light of current transitions and future expectations.

 

The Director noted that this validation process is not simply procedural; it affirms collective ownership of the strategy and ensures the blueprint accurately reflects the organization’s priorities, challenges, and aspirations for the next five years.

 

According to the Director, this act symbolizes mutual commitment to the goals set during the strategic session, solidifies leadership accountability, enhances institutional discipline, and promotes a culture centered on performance and results.

 

“The event is seen not as a formality, but as a tangible reaffirmation of collective responsibility.

 

Participants engaged in the collective review and validation of the draft report, which captures the ideas and recommendations generated during the planning session.

 

Highpoint of the gathering was the brainstorming session of management staff and signing of the performance bond between the Executive Secretary and departmental leaders. The session closed with a strong message of unity and clarity of purpose as the Council embarked on its strategic journey. The