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Maritime Guru Seeks Global Recognition of Nigeria’s Seafarers

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A maritime expert, Capt Konni Duniya, says that the global recognition of seafarers in Nigeria’s Maritime sector are in the hands of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, and the NIMASA.

Capt Duniya spoke  during the 2024 Lecture Series of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron, titled: ‘Addressing Human and Institutional Capacity Development in Nigeria’s Maritime Sector Through Stakeholders Partnership.’

She called on the Federal Government to organise frequent 
training for existing seafarers and develop capacity building programs for incoming  ones with  the use of  emerging trends and technologies.

“Nigeria has been on the IMO STCW white list since 2019;  however, Nigerian seaferers are yet to benefit from this achievement due to the inability of Nigeria to sign MOU with the most respected countries like UK, Australia and most of Europe.

Signing MOU with such countries will help strengthen our image as a serious maritime nation and open doors for employment of Nigerian seafarers globally.  

‘Nigeria is the only country with unemployed seafarers in the world despite the cabotage law which seems to have been poorly implemented,” she said.

She expressed concern that the country will suffer huge shortage of adequate and competent seafarers in the coming years if the manpower Gap created as a result of war, retirement and disruptions in the sector is not urgently addressed. 

Capt Duniya, an alumna of the premier maritime institution, also blame the domination of Nigeria’s Maritime sector by seafarers of foreign countries, issuance of fraudulent Certificate of Competency CoC, lack of database to validate cadet’s education, training and experience.  

She also identified non-compliance with STCW Convention of International Maritime Organization as one of the major factors and  limitations causing low employment opportunities for Nigerian seafarers.

“There needs to for  proper housekeeping in NIMASA to combat issues of seatime and licence forgery through the use of block chain and cloud computing.

 There is the need for Nigeria to market her seafarers to the global market alongside the signing of MOU like Ghana, South Africa and other countries are doing.

Nigeria seafarers are left to their fate battling poor wages , welfare and living conditions within Nigerian waters while alternatively accepting lower positions outside Nigerian waters which does not give room for consistent career growth,” she said 

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Invest in Lagos 3.0 Summit Attracts more than 600 delegates

Ohibaba.com reports that the summit, themed “Lagos: The Business Gateway to Africa,” featured presentations from representatives of the Presidency and the governors of Lagos, Imo, Abia, Plateau, Taraba and Nasarawa states.

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Representatives of government and private sector delegates at the summit

Invest in Lagos 3.0 Summit attracted more than 600 delegates—including global institutions, sovereign wealth funds, development finance institutions and trade networks.

Ohibaba.com reports that the summit, themed “Lagos: The Business Gateway to Africa,” featured presentations from representatives of the Presidency and the governors of Lagos, Imo, Abia, Plateau, Taraba and Nasarawa states.

The host governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, called for increased private sector investment in rail transport, energy, agriculture, agro-processing and water infrastructure.

He said that addressing transportation challenges would unlock Lagos’ economic potential, reduce travel time, boost productivity and improve returns on investment.

Minister of Finance, Dr. Taiwo Oyedele, assured investors of the Federal Government’s commitment to creating a conducive business environment through ongoing fiscal reforms. He said the new tax law has eliminated multiple taxation, improved compliance and provided relief for small and medium enterprises.

Oyedele added that stamp duty collection has been transferred to state governments and commended states that have adopted harmonised tax systems.

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UBA wins 2026 ‘Banker Technology’ award for AI innovation

UBA’s recognition centres on integrating Leo, its AI-powered chatbot, with the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), enabling customers to send funds across borders in local currencies via a conversational interface.

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United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has been named the winner of the African category at the 2026 Banker Technology Award

In its assessment of UBA’s winning entry, The Banker noted that “the bank has cemented its status as a leading digital operator by placing technology at the centre of its growth strategy across more than 20 countries, with this approach most visible in its work on cross-border transfers, spanning digital payments, AI-driven engagement, and e-business”

UBA’s recognition centres on integrating Leo, its AI-powered chatbot, with the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), enabling customers to send funds across borders in local currencies via a conversational interface.

UBA’s Executive Director Designate, Digital Banking, Emmanuel Lamptey, received the award on behalf of the bank.

He emphasised that the bank’s aim to fully digitise banking across the entire continent“.

” Africa’s financial future will not be built on branches or borders. It will be built on intelligence, interoperability, and trust at scale,” Lamptey said.

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Tony Elumelu’s United Capital Secures approval to operate in Ethiopia

Elumeu lauded the transformational Prime Minister of Ethiopia, His Excellency @AbiyAhmedAli , for promoting economic reforms and regional cooperation, the Director General of Ethiopian Capital Market Authority @CMAEthiopia , Ms. Hana Tehelku, and the team at @UnitedCap on this landmark achievement.

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United Capital Group has again secured regulatory approvals to commence operations in Ethiopia.

Its Chairman, Tony Elumelu, broke the news on Tuesday, via his official X.

” This development is particularly noteworthy because Ethiopia only recently opened its financial sector to foreign participation, making United Capital’s entry a historic step for both the company and the ongoing integration of African capital markets,” said Elumelu.

Last month, United Capital commenced operations in Rwanda, marking its formal entry into East Africa and reinforcing its ambition to build a leading continental financial services institution.

The Group’s newly established entities include United Capital Trustees Rwanda Limited, licensed to provide trusteeship services, and United Capital Financial Services Rwanda Limited, licensed to offer investment management services, including portfolio management, investment advisory, capital mobilisation, capital market advisory, and fund management solutions.

With this development, United Capital now operates in 11 countries, including Nigeria, with a strong presence in key African markets, a recent expansion into the eight countries within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) region, alongside a growing footprint in East Africa.

According to Elumelu, African institutions are increasingly leading, competing, and succeeding across the continent.

For decades, Africa witnessed foreign capital flowing in while profits largely flowed out.

That narrative is beginning to change.

This is Africapitalism in action — a vision that recognizes the importance of both indigenous and international capital working together to finance Africa’s development and unlock shared prosperity.

Elumeu lauded the transformational Prime Minister of Ethiopia, His Excellency @AbiyAhmedAli , for promoting economic reforms and regional cooperation, the Director General of Ethiopian Capital Market Authority @CMAEthiopia , Ms. Hana Tehelku, and the team at @UnitedCap on this landmark achievement.

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