Nigeria: 2011 Maritime Cup Final – Customs, NSC Trade Tackles

18 March 2011

THE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) will square up for glory this Saturday at the final match of the 3rd Ships & Ports Soccer Challenge, Dikko Abdullahi Maritime Cup 2011.

The NCS cruised to the final after defeating the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) on Tuesday two goals to one at the semi-finals, while the NSC booked its place in the final by defeating Sifax Group two goals to one.The two teams will be playing the final at Legacy Stadium, Astro Turf Pitch, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos at 12 noon, while NAGAFF will be taking on Sifax Group in the third place match at the same venue.

Expectedly the closing ceremony which begin at 12 noon will attract the big wigs in the Nigerian maritime industry, according to the Chief Executive Officer of Ships and Ports Communication Company, organizers of the competition, Bolaji Akinola.

The competition which had kicked off two weeks ago amidst colourful parade with twelve participating teams included the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Federal College of Fisheries, APM Terminals Apapa Limited, Lagos Channel Management (LCM) and Stars Maritime Academy.

The other teams were Sifax Group, Global Maritime Academy, Warri, Certified Institute of Shipping (CIS), Micura Services Limited, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Supreme Genius Freight Forwarders Limited.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the competition representative of the Comptroller General of NCS, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi, Acting Controller of the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, Mr. Comptroller Victor Dimka stated that the Nigeria Customs service is proud to be associated with the competition.

While commending the organizers, the Customs boss said that the number of companies participating in the competition gladdened his heart since a number of operators will not have anything to do in common as a result of their different business interests in the maritime industry except for a gathering like football.

The customs boss at the opening ceremony together with the Founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, had shot-up the prize money to one million nairaas against the N500, 000 earmarked for the winner of the trophy.

Akinola in his welcome address had stated that this year’s Maritime Cup is named after the Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Dikko Inde Abdullahi, who has turned around the fortunes of the Nigeria Customs Service through his various reforms programme.

He added that while the winner of the competition will go home with one million naira, the silver and the bronze medalists will receive N300, 000 and N200,000 respectively.

Dignitaries who graced the occasion have earlier poured encomiums on the organizing company over its effort aimed at bringing all business interests in the maritime sector together through the avenue of football.

The dignitaries included the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) who was represented by the Deputy Director, Medical, Dr. Tom Obayan; representative of the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and General Manager, Public Affairs, Chief Michael Ajayi; Group Managing Director of Sifax Group, represented by the General Manager, Ports and Cargo, Mr. Mike Owope, Founder of NAGAFF, Dr Boniface Aniebonam, representative of the Managing Director of Cotecna Destination Inspection Limited (CDIL), Mr. David Bondorin, National President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu, representative of the Executive Vice Chairman of ENL Consortuim, Mr. Felix Ajiboye and the representative of the Managing Director of Micura Services Limited, Mr. Tunde Alapini had graced the opening ceremony on 3rd March, 2011.

Participating teams and companies in this year’s edition include Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Federal College of Fisheries, APM Terminals Apapa Limited, Lagos Channel Management (LCM) and Stars Maritime Academy.

The other teams include Sifax Group, Global Maritime Academy, Warri, Certified Institute of Shipping (CIS), Micura Services Limited, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Supreme Genius Freight Forwarders Limited.

Sponsors of this year’s competition include APM Terminals Apapa sponsoring the Fair Play Award, Sifax Group sponsoring the Most Valuable Player Award, NAGAFF sponsoring the award for the Highest Goal Scorer, Lagos Channel Management, Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics (LADOL) and Cotecna Destination Inspection Limited.

Government agencies supporting the competition include: Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

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