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NSC Unveils Five-Year Strategic Plan to Boost Maritime Prosperity
By prince Benson Davies
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) held its 2025 Annual Management System Retreat in Lagos, themed “Achieving Strategic Intents Through Performance Lens.” Executive Secretary/CEO Dr. Pius Ukeyima Akutah emphasized the Council’s pivotal role in the Federal Government’s emerging blue economy agenda. He urged staffers to measure success through tangible outcomes, declaring the era of bureaucracy and paper-driven operations over.
Akutah called on departments to ensure their work plans reflect the national policy on Marine and Blue Economy, with mandatory quarterly reports to be submitted to the executive secretary’s office and the Ministry. The NSC is set to fully deploy its Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system by December 2025, with strict deadlines for compliance.
The retreat 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. Akutah outlined a five-year strategic plan, focusing on trade facilitation, port efficiency, inter-agency coordination, and sustainability.
Key initiatives include:
– Reducing cargo dwell times and vessel turnaround to regional standards
– Introducing an induction process for new hires
– Launching a leadership innovation development series for senior officers
– Institutionalizing stakeholder forums and regular newsletters
– Monitoring progress on infrastructure projects through biweekly reports
Dr. Pius Ukeyima Akutah, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), expressed heartfelt gratitude to President Tinubu and Minister Oyetola for their visionary leadership, urging NSC members to fully embrace the reforms and return from the retreat with actionable plans and a renewed sense of purpose.
In a keynote address, Akutah emphasized the importance of aligning the NSC’s operations with the nation’s blue economy agenda. He highlighted the Council’s commitment to driving maritime prosperity through efficiency, accountability, and innovation.
Earlier, Rotimi Anifowoshe, Director of Strategic Planning and Research Department, NSC, underscored the significance of the retreat, which marked a major milestone in the Council’s strategic journey. The event brought together stakeholders to validate the department’s strategic planning session report and formalize a performance bond between the Executive Secretary and departmental leaders.
Anifowoshe emphasized that the occasion reaffirmed the NSC’s enduring commitment to accountability, results-based performance, and continuous improvement in service delivery. He encouraged participants to engage constructively and provide candid feedback, urging them to commit to the spirit of performance, excellence, and innovation.
The Director described the strategic planning session as a participatory and reflective engagement, designed to reassess and realign the organization’s vision, mission, and goals. He noted that the validation process was crucial in affirming collective ownership of the strategy and ensuring the blueprint accurately reflected the organization’s priorities and aspirations.
The retreat culminated in a brainstorming session and the signing of a performance bond between the Executive Secretary and departmental leaders, symbolizing mutual commitment to the goals set during the strategic session. The event concluded with a strong message of unity and clarity of purpose, as the Council embarked on its strategic journey.
