President Bola Tinubu’s strategic decisions are reshaping Nigeria’s economy and the maritime sector is emerging as one of the biggest beneficiaries, says the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Mr Pius Akutah.
Akutah stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during an interaction with journalists from Benue under the aegis of the Conference of Benue Journalists (CBJ).
The executive secretary pointed to the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy as a turning point in the country`s economy.
“That move alone signalled serious intent to unlock Nigeria’s ocean economy,” he said.
According to him, the maritime sector, which was long underutilised, is now a rising engine of growth.
“With a national policy in place, the ministry is realigning for sustainability, investment, and international competitiveness,“he said.
He noted that the port economy was witnessing a quiet revolution as there were visible infrastructure upgrades, increased cargo exports, and record-level foreign direct investment into the sector.
Akutah said that before now, vessels came in and left empty, but as of today, Nigerian exporters are filling those containers, and the entire port logistics chain is becoming more efficient and productive.
He said that the government was also building inland dry ports and logistics hubs to connect the hinterlands with a goal to turn Nigeria into West Africa’s maritime gateway, including for landlocked countries.
The council boss credited all this progress to President Tinubu’s bold economic direction from subsidy removal to fiscal reform, adding that the president had opened the door to real economic movement.
Akuta said there was visible growth in GDP and overall economic indicators as the economy was crawling, but now it’s walking, even running in key sectors.
