Maritime Watch Celebrates 25th Anniversary, Honours Industry Stakeholders
Maritime Watch newspaper is set to celebrate its 25th anniversary on Saturday, May 16, 2026, with a special lecture and awards ceremony honouring organisations, personalities, and industry leaders who have shaped Nigeria’s maritime sector.
The event will hold at Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, and is expected to draw top regulators, port operators, legal experts, and maritime journalists.
Maritime Watch, which began publishing in 2001, has grown into one of the sector’s most consistent voices, covering port reforms, shipping policy, logistics, and trade facilitation for over two decades.
This year’s anniversary lecture is themed _“Enhancing Efficiency and Reducing Costs in Nigerian Ports through Nigerian Shippers’ Council Regulatory Framework.”_ The topic reflects ongoing industry concerns over port competitiveness, cargo dwell time, and the cost of doing business in Nigerian ports.
Delivering the keynote is Ms. Adaora Nwonu, Deputy Director, Standard Services Division at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council. Her presentation will examine how regulatory interventions can drive operational efficiency and cost reduction across the port value chain.
High-profile guests of honour expected include Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi; Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority; Engineer Jide Oriowo of Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO); and Chief Adekunle Olufunmilayo, a respected maritime lawyer.
The ceremony will be chaired by Mr. Tokunbo Olubodun Simpson, Executive Director, Tokscetera International Limited, a veteran in freight forwarding and logistics.
Speaking ahead of the event, Publisher/CEO of Maritime Watch, Prince Shola Mekusi, said the silver jubilee is both a celebration of survival and a tribute to partnership.
“This 25th anniversary is first to appreciate God for sustaining us in a tough media environment.
It is also to honour key organisations, individuals, and captains of industry whose support kept us going,” Mekusi said.
He added that the newspaper is using the occasion to recognise its editorial staff, describing them as the backbone of the publication. “Our reporters and editors have shown rare dedication and commitment over the years. This celebration is as much theirs as it is ours,” he noted.
Since its debut in 2001, Maritime Watch has reported on major policy shifts, including the 2006 port concession programme, customs modernisation, the Cabotage Act, and the evolving role of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council as economic regulator for the ports.
Industry observers say the anniversary comes at a critical time, as stakeholders push for deeper reforms to make Nigerian ports more competitive within the West African sub-region.
The event will also feature awards to distinguished individuals and corporate bodies for their contributions to maritime development, press freedom, and industry advocacy.
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