By Sandra Chukwunyere
The Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) has confirmed former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hajiya Hadiza Bala Usman, as the keynote speaker for the 2026 edition of its Maritime Annual Maritime Lecture (MAMAL), with Executive Director, Technical, TANTITA Security Services Limited, Captain Warredi Enisouh, named as Chairman.
The highly anticipated lecture is scheduled for Thursday, September 10, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the Nigerian Air Force Event Centre, No. 1 Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The fourth edition of MAMAL will focus on the theme, “Nigerian Ports Modernisation, Charges and the Competitiveness Question.”
The lecture is expected to bring together key players across the maritime industry, including government officials, regulators, port operators, shipping companies, freight forwarders, academics, industry associations, port users and the media.
Speaking on the theme, MARAN President, Mr. Yinka Onigbinde, said the lecture would provide stakeholders with an opportunity to examine the state of Nigeria’s ports and the reforms required to make them more efficient and competitive.
He said modernising port infrastructure was essential to improving cargo handling, reducing delays and lowering the cost of doing business, while also creating an environment capable of attracting greater investment into the maritime sector.
Onigbinde said the lecture would also provide room for stakeholders to critically examine port charges and their impact on the competitiveness of Nigerian ports.
He described Hadiza Bala Usman as an experienced voice in the maritime sector whose knowledge of port administration and industry development would bring valuable perspectives to the discussion.
The MARAN President also expressed appreciation to Captain Enisouh for accepting to chair the lecture, noting that his experience in maritime security and the maritime industry would add significant value to the programme.
The association said the participation of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola, as Special Guest of Honour further underscores the importance attached to the issues surrounding port modernisation, charges and competitiveness.
According to Onigbinde, MAMAL 2026 marks the fourth edition of the annual lecture, which has continued to provide a platform for informed debate and constructive engagement on critical issues affecting Nigeria’s maritime industry.
MARAN has invited government officials, maritime regulators, shipping companies, port operators, freight forwarders, academics, industry associations, port users, journalists and other stakeholders to attend the lecture and contribute to the conversation on the future of Nigeria’s ports.
