The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Lagos State Council, has called for stronger collaboration among media associations covering the maritime industry and increased investment in journalists’ welfare, professional development and specialised training.
The NUJ Lagos Chairman, Comrade Adewale Akodu, made the call at the Unity Conference organised by the Network of Nigeria Maritime Journalists, NNMJ at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, on Friday, November 13, 2026.
Akodu said unity and cooperation among maritime media professionals were necessary to strengthen the credibility and professional standing of journalism in the sector, urging associations to put aside their differences and work towards shared professional interests.
He also appealed to the Nigeria Customs Servic, NCS to extend its partnership with the media by supporting NUJ Lagos programmes in journalists’ welfare, capacity building, professional development and continuous training.
According to him, specialised maritime reporting requires journalists to have adequate knowledge of international trade, customs administration, shipping regulations, port economics, logistics and emerging maritime technologies.
He urged government agencies and private-sector operators to support industry briefings, research initiatives, professional exchanges and training opportunities to improve the quality and accuracy of maritime reporting.
The NUJ chairman also stressed the need for the media to sustain its watchdog role through investigative reporting, policy scrutiny and institutional accountability, while upholding professionalism, fairness and accuracy.
Speaking on the conference theme, “Seaport Modernisation, Trade Facilitation and Revenue,” Akodu said modernising Nigeria’s ports required more than infrastructure development, identifying technology adoption, digitalisation of port operations, improved cargo clearance procedures, transparency in revenue administration and reduced bureaucratic bottlenecks as critical measures.
He said these interventions would reduce the cost of doing business, improve trade efficiency, attract investment and strengthen Nigeria’s position as a maritime hub in West and Central Africa.
Akodu further called for stronger coordination among the NCS, Nigerian Ports Authority, shipping companies, terminal operators, freight forwarders and other relevant agencies to minimise delays, address operational inefficiencies, combat smuggling and prevent revenue leakages.
He commended the Customs Service for supporting the conference, noting that collaboration between public institutions and the media was important for public understanding, institutional accountability and effective implementation of government policies.
He urged the Service to sustain its reforms in trade facilitation, intelligence-driven operations, transparency, professionalism and stakeholder engagement, adding that their success should be assessed not only by revenue generated but also by their impact on businesses, consumers, investors and the wider economy.
Akodu said the conference should produce practical partnerships and concrete actions capable of strengthening both the maritime industry and journalism.
He congratulated the NNMJ leadership on the initiative and expressed hope that the deliberations would generate actionable recommendations, stronger institutional relationships and reforms to improve the efficiency, competitiveness and sustainable growth of Nigeria’s maritime sector.