Business
Nigeria hands over suspected vessel, crew to Ghana for investigation

Chiazo Ogbolu
The Nigerian Government has handed over a fishing vessel, `Marine 707’, suspected to be carrying out illegal activities in the Gulf of Guinea to Ghanaian authorities for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Nigeria also handed over 51 crew members including 48 Ghanaians and three South Korea nationals to the Governments of Ghana and Korea respectively.
Mr Philip Kyanet, Head, Corporate Communications, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), disclosed this in a statement in Lagos on Sunday.
According to him, the vessel which has authorisation to fish in Ghana and Benin waters was arrested by the Nigerian Navy on May 18, around Southwest of Lagos waters when her Automatic Identification System (AIS) switched off.
He said that they were suspected to be used for piracy or being used as a mother ship to conduct piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and handed over to the NIMASA after preliminary investigations by the Navy.
The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, during the handover of the vessel and crew to respective authorities, said the Navy, NIMASA partnership which was now hinged on intelligence had put Nigeria on a pedestal of winning the war against piracy and other illegal acts at sea.
Jamoh who was represented by the agency’s Commander, Maritime Guard Command, Commodore Aniete Ibok, said that preliminary investigations could not establish that the vessel and her crew were directly linked to piracy.
He said that, however, the vessel still ran afoul of international laws for shutting down its Automatic Identification System (AIS) 36 times in the last 6 months, three of which were done in the Nigerian waters.
According to him, we are handing over this vessel to the Ghanaian authorities in the spirit of bilateral cooperation that both countries enjoy.
“We have done our preliminary investigations and we are yet to establish any concrete evidence against the vessel.
“But again, we will not know what she will be doing whenever she turns off her AIS which occurred 36 times without being logged in her record book in line with international protocols and three of these were in our domain.
“However in the spirit of brotherhood that Ghana and Nigeria enjoys, we are handing over the vessel to Ghana for further investigations,” he said.
The director-general warned individuals or organisations thinking of perpetuating any form of illegalities in the Gulf of Guinea to be ready to face the full wrath of the law.
He said that with the Anti-piracy law in place along with the Navy, NIMASA’s partnership that was waxing stronger, major focus would be on security in the Nigerian maritime domain and the entire Gulf of Guinea.
“We will not condone any act of illegality in our maritime space. We have improved our intelligence sharing with relevant agencies.
“With what we are doing now, in no distant time, piracy will be a thing of the past in the Gulf of Guinea because we have a robust anti-piracy law that will deal with perpetrators of illegalities in our waters,” he said.
While receiving the vessel and the crew on behalf of the Ghana Maritime Authority, the Second Secretary Consular of Ghana in Nigeria, David Ako Sowah, commended the Nigerian authorities for being professional in handling the case.
He said that what Nigeria did, was for the benefit of the entire countries in the Gulf of Guinea.
“As the big brother in this region, Nigeria has done well in showing a lot of maturity in handling this case and I want to assure you that Ghana will also look into more collaborations with Nigeria to ensure that the Gulf of Guinea remains safe for maritime activities’,” he said.
Equally speaking during the hand over, the Consular General of the Republic of Korea in Nigeria, Kim Ln-taek, commended the party involved in handling the case.
He said his findings from the Captain of the Ship who was a Korean, informed that the AIS was bad.
He noted that the vessel and her crew erred by not following the protocols of logging it in the record books when the AIS was down but he was happy that the case had been resolved up till this point.
The Ghana-flagged vessel with International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) number 7419755 and registration number 316880 is owned and operated by World Marine Company Ltd., Japan.
As at the time of arrest, it had 51 crew on board with most of the crew being Ghanaians except three who were from the Republic of Korea.
This case also brings to the fore the efforts of NIMASA and Navy in the battle against piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
It would be recalled that the Navy recently arrested 10 pirates on a Chinese fishing vessel and handed them over for prosecution under the newly-signed anti-piracy law.
Business
CBN expresses commitment to FX Code

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reaffirmed its commitment to the Nigerian Foreign Exchange (FX) Code, stating that its operations align with the principles of the code.
In a statement signed by Governor Olayemi Cardoso, Deputy Governor of Economic Policy Mohammad Abdullahi, and Director of the Financial Markets Department Dr. Omolara Duke, the apex bank emphasized that its decision follows a review of the FX Global Code and recognition that the code represents a set of principles widely acknowledged as good practice in the foreign exchange market.
The statement confirmed that the CBN acts as a regulator to market participants as defined by the code and is committed to overseeing FX market activities in a manner consistent with its principles.
“To this end, the Bank has taken appropriate steps, based on the size and complexity of the FX Market, and therefore aligns its roles with the principles of the Code,” the statement added.
Business
FG launches electronic asset register to boost investment

The Federal Government has launched a national electronic assets register to provide real-time access to information on government-owned assets, aiming to enhance transparency and attract more investments into the country.
The digital registry was introduced by the Accountant General of the Federation, Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, during an event that also featured the unveiling of a compendium of FAAC allocations to federal, state, and local governments from 2020 to 2023.
Madein described the initiative as a major milestone in improving public resource management, emphasizing that it is essential for financial sustainability and integrity. She stated that the project aligns with the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in handling public funds and assets.
She noted that giving citizens access to information about public asset management would increase government accountability. “Whether it is infrastructure, equipment, or other public property, every asset must be accounted for,” she said.
The real-time access provided by the digital register is expected to support policy formulation, budgeting, and planning. Madein explained that by having a clear understanding of the government’s assets and their conditions, policymakers can make more informed decisions on resource allocation, investment management, and potential privatisation or public-private partnerships (PPPs) for underutilized assets.
She added that the initiative also aligns with international best practices, supporting Nigeria’s adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). These standards will help strengthen the credibility and integrity of the country’s financial statements.
On the compendium of FAAC allocations, Madein stated that it provides a detailed breakdown of revenue distribution to the three tiers of government and serves as a valuable resource for policymakers, researchers, and the general public.
Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Aniete, who officially unveiled the compendium, praised the Accountant General’s efforts in promoting transparency and accountability. She described the electronic asset register as an important tool that will help determine the real value of Nigeria’s assets and create opportunities for local and foreign investment.
Business
Tariff increase will push available power generation to 7,000MW — Minister

Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has stated that the proposed electricity tariff increase will help boost Nigeria’s available power generation capacity to 7,000 megawatts (MW). This comes after the country recorded its highest-ever available power generation of 6,003MW and a peak evacuation of 5,801.84MW last week.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Strategic Communication, Bolaji Tunji, Adelabu emphasized that tariff regularization is crucial for unlocking the sector’s full potential and sustaining ongoing improvements in power generation and distribution.
“To sustain these improvements, the government would have to pay down the tariff shortfalls of N1.94 trillion for 2024 and address legacy debts of N2 trillion to the GENCOs,” the minister said. He added that continued tariff reforms are necessary to ensure that consumers start paying for the energy they consume.
Adelabu reiterated the government’s intention to raise electricity tariffs for customers in Bands B, C, and D as part of efforts to enhance the sector’s liquidity and reduce subsidy obligations. The planned tariff hike is expected to narrow the gap between Band A customers—who currently pay higher rates—and those in lower bands.
The minister noted that Nigeria recently set another milestone with a daily maximum energy output of 128,370.75 megawatt-hours (MWh), attributing these achievements to ongoing reforms and infrastructural upgrades in the sector.
“We are thrilled to announce these historic milestones in Nigeria’s power sector,” Adelabu stated. “These achievements represent a brighter future where businesses can thrive, households can enjoy uninterrupted power supply, and the economy can grow sustainably.”
According to the minister, recent improvements result from collaborative efforts by the Federal Ministry of Power and key stakeholders to address longstanding challenges in the sector. These include the rehabilitation and upgrading of transmission and distribution networks, implementation of innovative technologies to enhance efficiency, and policy reforms aimed at improving accountability and sustainability.
While celebrating these milestones, Adelabu called for continued support from state governments, private sector stakeholders, and the general public. He stressed the need for collective action to sustain the momentum and build upon the progress made.
With power generation at a record high and tariff reforms on the horizon, stakeholders are hopeful that Nigeria’s electricity supply will see lasting improvements, ensuring stable and reliable power for businesses and households nationwide.
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