The Federal Government has launched the Nigerian Shippers’ Council’s Enterprise Content Management System, ECMS, aimed at strengthening digital governance and improving efficiency across the maritime and blue economy sector. The system was jointly unveiled in Abuja by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, George Akume, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.
Akume said the introduction of the ECMS would minimise bureaucratic delays, enhance internal processes and support the Federal Government’s wider ambition of building a digitally driven public sector. He praised Oyetola’s leadership, noting that it contributed to Nigeria’s recent election into Category C of the International Maritime Organisation, IMO, Council. According to him, the victory reflects Nigeria’s rising global maritime profile. He added that the new system would reinforce the country’s push toward modern, transparent and accountable public service delivery.
Oyetola described the launch of the ECMS as an important milestone in Nigeria’s shift to a modern, technology-driven maritime administration. He said digital transformation remains central to the Ministry’s plan to boost port efficiency and rebuild Nigeria’s competitiveness in global trade. According to him, the theme of the event, Driving the Maritime and Blue Economy Sector through Digital Innovation, shows the urgency of adopting tools that improve speed, precision and regulatory performance.
He explained that although the ECMS is designed for internal workflow management, its benefits would spread across the maritime sector by improving service delivery, cutting delays and ensuring more predictable regulatory actions. Oyetola also highlighted ongoing reforms, including efforts to clear the long-standing Apapa gridlock, the approval of the national port modernisation programme and the development of Inland Dry Ports across all six geopolitical zones to boost trade and economic inclusion.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, restated the Federal Government’s commitment to achieving a fully digital and paperless administrative system by the end of 2025. She commended the Nigerian Shippers’ Council for complying with the Presidential directive on digital records management and said the ECMS demonstrates institutional readiness for the future of governance.
Earlier, Executive Secretary and CEO of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Akutah Pius Ukeyima, described the ECMS as a core pillar of the Council’s digitalisation agenda and a major step toward ending manual file movement and administrative bottlenecks. He said the system would boost accountability, improve internal speed, strengthen information security and expand the Council’s ability to deliver efficient regulatory services.
Akutah encouraged staff to fully adopt the platform, calling it essential for maintaining a modern, paperless and performance-driven organisation.
