The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, on Tuesday, 9th December 2025, jointly launched the Nigerian Shippers’ Council’s Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) in Abuja—marking a major milestone in the Federal Government’s push for digital governance and operational efficiency within the maritime and blue economy sector.
The high-profile event, attended by senior government officials including the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, underscored the administration’s commitment to modernising public service operations and boosting Nigeria’s competitiveness in global trade.
Senator Akume commended Dr. Oyetola for the strategic leadership that contributed to Nigeria’s recent election into Category C of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council. He described the achievement as a testament to Nigeria’s rising stature in global maritime affairs. The SGF noted that the new ECMS would significantly improve administrative efficiency, minimise bureaucratic delays, and strengthen transparency and accountability across government institutions.
In his remarks, Dr. Oyetola described the launch as a key step in Nigeria’s transition toward a fully digitised, technology-driven maritime administration. He stressed that digital transformation remains central to the Ministry’s agenda for repositioning Nigeria as an efficient and globally competitive maritime hub. According to him, the theme of the launch “Driving the Maritime and Blue Economy Sector through Digital Innovation” captures the urgency of embracing modern tools that enhance precision, speed, and institutional performance.
The Minister explained that although the ECMS is primarily an internal workflow and records management system, its long-term impact will be far-reaching. He highlighted that automated workflows, secure approvals, real-time task monitoring, and centralised information management would reduce turnaround times, improve port efficiency, and elevate Nigeria’s profile in regional and global trade.
Dr. Oyetola also highlighted ongoing reforms across the sector, including the clearance of the persistent Apapa traffic gridlock, Federal Government approval of the national port modernisation programme, and the establishment of Inland Dry Ports nationwide to drive trade expansion and economic inclusion.
Delivering the keynote address, Mrs. Walson-Jack reaffirmed the government’s commitment to achieving a fully digital, paperless public service by the end of 2025. She praised the Shippers’ Council for aligning with the Presidential directive on digital records management and described the ECMS initiative as a clear demonstration of readiness for the future of public administration.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Dr. Akutah Pius Ukeyima, described the ECMS as a pivotal component of the Council’s digitalisation agenda. He emphasised that the system is designed to eliminate long-standing administrative bottlenecks, including manual file movement and processing delays.
Dr. Ukeyima noted that enhanced internal accountability, improved processing speed, and strengthened information security would ultimately bolster the Council’s regulatory effectiveness. He thanked the Minister, the SGF, the Head of the Civil Service, and internal teams for their support throughout the project’s development. He urged staff to embrace the platform as their new operational environment, noting that full adoption is essential to sustaining a paperless, modern regulatory institution.
The launch drew attendance from senior government officials, private-sector representatives, and key stakeholders across the maritime industry.
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