The Maritime Correspondents' Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) has announced the distinguished recipients of its 2025 Awards of Excellence, celebrating monumental contributions to the nation's maritime industry.
Prestigious Honours for Maritime Giants
The President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, alongside the Lekki Deep Seaport and Lekki Freeport Terminal, leads the pack of awardees recognized for their outstanding roles in advancing maritime business in Nigeria. The official presentation ceremony is scheduled for December 4, 2025, and will be a key highlight of the Nigeria Maritime Journalists Retreat at the De Marii Hotel LFZ in the Lagos Free Trade Zone, Lekki.
Comprehensive List of Award Recipients
The roster of honourees is extensive, reflecting the breadth of the maritime ecosystem. Other notable recipients include:
- Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority
- Comrade Francis Bunu Abi, President General of the Maritime Workers' Union of Nigeria
- Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, Registrar/CEO of the Corporate Affairs Commission
- Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, Director General of NITDA
- Dr. Kevin Okonna, Acting Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria
- Jama Onwubuariri, Managing Director of Truck Transit Parks Limited
Customs commands receiving awards are Apapa, Seme, and Lagos Free Trade Zone, under the leadership of Comptrollers Emmanuel Oshoba, Wale Adenuga, and Hauwa Abubakar respectively. Integrated Indigo Limited is also among the recognized entities.
Focus on Technology and Sustainable Trade
This year's retreat is themed "Maximising Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Import and Export Trade." The event is poised to assemble crucial stakeholders from across Nigeria's maritime and trade landscape to discuss the future of the sector.
According to a statement from the conference planning committee, chaired by Paul Ogbuokiri with Adaku Onyenucheya as Secretary, Aliko Dangote and the Dangote Group are being honoured for their groundbreaking, two-decade-long investment in maritime infrastructure. This includes the revolutionary Dangote Refinery, Greenview Development Nigeria Limited, and Blue Star Shipping.
The Lekki Freeport Terminal is celebrated for its status as Nigeria's most automated container terminal, praised for its operational efficiency, speed, and user satisfaction, alongside its support for barge operations.
Meanwhile, the Lekki Deep Seaport is acknowledged for catapulting Nigeria into the global transshipment arena. It has brought the nation closer to its ambition of becoming a shipping hub for West and Central Africa, with lighter vessels now transporting cargoes from Lagos to neighbouring countries like Ghana, Togo, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, and Cameroon.
The committee emphasized that the collective efforts of these awardees have significantly deepened Nigeria's participation in the blue economy, spurring business growth, creating employment, and enhancing the country's appeal as a prime investment destination on the African continent.
