Maritimegistplus

L-R: Regional Bank Head, Abuja III, Martin Ayodele; Divisional Head, SME Banking, Ugochi Osinigwe; Executive Director, North Directorate, Sufiyanu Garba; and Regional Bank Head, Abuja, Vanessa Mordi (all of Fidelity Bank Plc); at the Fidelity Bank SME Quarterly Business Forum, held in Abuja recently. Leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) through improved access to affordable financing, business advisory services and capacity-building initiatives. The bank restated this commitment at the Abuja edition of its quarterly SME Business Forum, themed “Built to Compete: Positioning Abuja Businesses for Sustainable Growth”. The forum brought together entrepreneurs, industry stakeholders and regulatory representatives to address key issues affecting business competitiveness and growth. Speaking at the event, Executive Director, North Directorate, Fidelity Bank Plc, Sufiyanu Garba,...

As part of efforts to strengthen the Customs Training Collage operational capacity and improve its training environment, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Mfr on Friday, 7th November 2026, visited the facility in Ikeja to inspect critical facilities and assess their condition. According to a press release signed by the College's Acting Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Customs I, Ibrahim Isah, the CGC reflected on his personal journey in the Service, emphasising the importance of dedication, discipline and professionalism in building a successful career in the NCS. Adeniyi urged officers to uphold punctuality, obedience to lawful instructions, teamwork and respect for constituted authority, while warning against corruption, abuse of office, compromise of government revenue and unauthorised disclosure of official information. He further stressed the importance of exercising caution on social media and familiarising themselves with ...

…Highlights Anti-Money Laundering Efforts at ONSA Security Briefing The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) processed 9,195 Pre-Arrival Assessment Reports (PAARs) and 99,839 Single Goods Declarations (SGDs) between September and October 2026, reflecting sustained efforts to facilitate legitimate trade, improve cargo clearance processes and enhance revenue generation. The figures were disclosed during a joint security press briefing at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) under the  Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) on Thursday, 5 November 2026. Speaking at the briefing, the Service's National Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada, said the performance reflected the Service’s continued commitment to improving trade processes through efficient documentation, digital interventions, and stronger collaboration with stakeholders across the trade value chain. A breakdown of the figures showed that the Service processed 2,102 PAARs in Septem...

 According to him, contractors who collect payments for government projects but fail to execute them while abandoning imported equipment at the ports should be treated as economic saboteurs. “This exercise that we are undertaking has exposed a troubling pattern. Some contractors awarded government projects import equipment and abandon them at the ports, failing to execute the projects for which the equipment was brought into the country.

Sequel to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for the immediate removal of critical consignments that have remained trapped at the ports for between 14 and 20 years, the Nigeria Customs Service NCSsaid it has commenced the process of clearance and release of over 300 containers of power sector equipment abandoned at the Nigerian ports over twenty years ago by contractors. The exercise, which the NCS said includes the waiver of accumulated port charges and demurrage, was aimed at unlocking critical infrastructure projects and accelerating the Federal Government’s efforts to improve electricity generation, transmission and distribution across the country. The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who disclosed this in Lagos on Friday during a press briefing he convened alongside the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, for the flag-off of the release of the first batch of the equipment, said that the Service had commenced the immediate clearance of more than 300 contain...

The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service in the month of October 2026 had generated the sum of  ₦302,952,570,769.24 representing an increase of ₦20,161,430,521.84 over the ₦282,791,140,247.40 recorded in the previous month of September, showing a month-on-month growth of approximately 7.13 per cent.  The command's October revenue generation marks another significant revenue performance above the ₦300 billion threshold, following the Command’s record-breaking collection of over ₦323 billion in July 2026.  The performance reflects the Command’s continued drive to strengthen revenue generation while facilitating legitimate trade under the leadership of the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Murtala Mu’azu, who assumed duties at the command on 29th September 2026. Since assuming office, Comptroller Mu’azu has prioritised stakeholder engagement, operational efficiency and improved service delivery in line with the policy thrust of the Comptroller-General of Cust...

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service within the last four weeks has continued to intensify it's enforcement operations by disrupting 195 smuggling attempts involving prohibited and restricted goods valued at ₦6,194,695,947.05. The Acting Comptroller of the Unit, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni disclosed this while briefing newsman in his maiden press briefing on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026, held in Ikeja, Lagos. According to him, the seizures form part of a renewed strategy prioritising intelligence-driven enforcement, improved surveillance, risk-based examination, and closer collaboration with other agencies. In his words, “These seizures go beyond mere statistics, but represent revenue recovered for the Federation, local industries protected, and lives saved from dangerous and substandard goods;  “We will not measure our success by how much we seize, but by how much harm we prevent". Giving a breakdown of the seizures, Afeni said the...

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alongside 45 others, before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the alleged defection of lawmakers elected on its platform in 2023 to the All Progressives Congress  (APC) and other political parties  The suit, filed through the party's counsel, Lex Firma LP, seeks judicial interpretation and enforcement of constitutional provisions governing the defection of elected legislators from the political parties on whose platforms they secured their mandates. According to an affidavit filed in support of the originating summons, the NNPP is challenging the alleged defection of 45 lawmakers comprising members of the Kano State House of Assembly, the House of Representatives and Senators who were reportedly elected on its platform during the 2023 general elections. The party alleged that the affected lawmakers abandoned the NNPP and joined the other political parties while still occup...

Fidelity Bank Plc has successfully redeemed its 5-Year US$400 million Senior Unsecured Notes at maturity, reaffirming its commitment to meeting its obligations to investors and reinforcing its track record in the international debt capital markets. Issued on 28 October 2021, the 5-year Eurobond matured on 28 October 2026 and carried an annual coupon of 7.625 per cent, payable semi-annually. Fidelity Bank met all scheduled coupon payments throughout the life of the instrument and has now fulfilled its final repayment obligation in full, covering both principal and accrued interest. The redemption was funded from internally generated liquidity as part of the Bank's forward-looking liquidity management strategy. Through a dedicated sinking fund, Fidelity Bank progressively provided for the maturing obligation, enabling the Bank to meet its commitment while maintaining business-as-usual operations and compliance with applicable regulatory liquidity requirements. Commenting on ...