The Registrar of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Mr Kingsley Igwe, has endorsed the Maritime Media & Capacity Development Centre (MMCDC), describing it as a critical initiative aimed at closing long-standing gaps in maritime media professionalism and capacity building.
Igwe made this known on Wednesday when a delegation of the Centre, led by its Chairman, Mr Sesan Onileimo, paid a courtesy visit to the Council’s headquarters in Lagos, during which the Registrar was formally presented with his certificate of appointment as a Member of the MMCDC Advisory Board.
Speaking during the visit, the CRFFN Registrar expressed appreciation to the Centre for recognising the Council’s role in the freight forwarding and maritime media space, noting that the engagement further strengthens collaboration between regulators and the media.
He noted that many regulatory activities and policy interventions within the maritime sector do not receive adequate media attention, stressing that structured engagement with professional media institutions would help improve public understanding of the Council’s mandate and activities.
According to him, the maritime media capacity-building initiative represents a long-overdue intervention in the industry, particularly in addressing the intellectual and technical gaps associated with sectoral reporting.
“I think we owe you a great deal of gratitude for what you have done for CRFFN and the media space. We do not take this recognition for granted. It is important to close the intellectual gap in the industry, especially in reporting with the right language and structure,” Igwe said.
The Registrar also disclosed that CRFFN has formally engaged First Mediacon Network Limited (FMNL), promoters of the Maritime Media & Capacity Development Centre, publishers of Shipping Position Newspapers and producers of Shipping Position Live as a strategic media partner to support the Council’s publicity, advocacy and media management efforts.
He explained that the partnership is aimed at ensuring clearer communication of CRFFN’s policies, reforms and regulatory activities, while also strengthening stakeholder engagement across the freight forwarding and maritime value chain.
Igwe highlighted the vast, but largely untapped potential in the maritime sector, particularly with the growing emphasis on the blue economy, assuring that the Council would continue to support initiatives capable of improving industry knowledge and public awareness.
He formally accepted his appointment as a Member of the MMCDC Advisory Board, pledging the Council’s commitment to contribute intellectually, materially and humanly to the success of the Centre.
Earlier, Chairman of the Maritime Media & Capacity Development Centre, Mr Sesan Onileimo, traced the relationship between his organisation and CRFFN over the years, noting that the engagement has remained cordial across successive administrations.
According to him, the relationship further strengthened following the appointment of Mr Kingsley Igwe as Registrar, whom he commended for his openness to engagement on industry issues.
Onileimo explained that First Mediacon Network Limited has, for over a decade, organised the Annual Seminar for Maritime Journalists, a programme he said has contributed to improving maritime reporting and industry awareness.
He noted that this experience culminated in the establishment of the Maritime Media & Capacity Development Centre to equip maritime journalists and content creators with the requisite knowledge to report industry developments more authoritatively.
He added that the Centre was unveiled during activities marking the 10th anniversary of the Annual Seminar for Maritime Journalists, while the Advisory Board was constituted to provide strategic direction.
According to him, CRFFN Registrar was selected for the Advisory Board in view of CRFFN’s regulatory role and daily interaction with freight forwarders and other maritime stakeholders.
“An uninformed media is a danger to society. The aim is to raise practitioners who can engage industry issues with the same depth and authority as those they report,” Onileimo said.
The visit concluded with the presentation of the induction Certificate to the Registrar, marking the commencement of enhanced collaboration between CRFFN, MMCDC and First Mediacon Network Limited.
