MARAN to Spotlight Maritime Fraud in Gulf of Guinea at MAMAL 2025
Nifemi Coker
The Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) has announced plans to host the 3rd MARAN Annual Maritime Lecture (MAMAL) on August 28, 2025, at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.
This year’s edition will focus on the alleged international fraud perpetrated by foreign shipping lines through the continued imposition of “War Risk Premiums” on vessels calling at Nigerian ports. The association is calling on the Federal Government to urgently address the issue.
Speaking on the event’s theme, “Addressing the Burden of War Risk Insurance on Nigerian Maritime Trade,” MARAN President, Mr. Godfrey Bivbere, condemned the charges as fraudulent and economically damaging to Nigeria and other developing nations in the Gulf of Guinea.
Findings by the association reveal that War Risk Insurance (WRI) surcharges imposed on vessels headed to Nigeria vary widely.
For instance, a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) may attract a WRI surcharge of $445,000 per voyage, while a container vessel could be charged up to $525,000.
Additionally, some lines, such as Maersk, apply extra levies like a transit disruption surcharge, while others impose war risk charges of $40–$50 per 20-foot container.
MARAN insists that these excessive fees are strangling Nigeria’s economy, especially in light of significant improvements in maritime security.
Despite assurances from the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, that Nigeria has not recorded a single piracy incident in the last three years, war risk premiums remain in place. Oyetola attributed the region’s improved security to the Deep Blue Project—NIMASA’s flagship maritime security initiative.
Yet, MARAN argues that foreign shipping lines continue to unjustly extract millions of dollars from Nigerian shipowners under the guise of WRI, despite no demonstrable threats in the region.
In March 2025, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, appealed to the international community during a meeting with Danish officials led by Kristin Skov-Spilling calling for a review of the war risk status, stressing that Nigeria’s robust anti-piracy efforts had yielded results.
“Despite nearly zero incidents of piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea over the past four years, vessels still pay high war risk premiums, which is unjustifiable,” Mobereola said.
Commenting on the upcoming MAMAL 2025, Bivbere criticized the “complacency” of international shipping companies towards Nigeria’s economic wellbeing. He said the conference would delve into the ongoing classification of Nigerian waters as high-risk, the role of classification societies like Lloyd’s of London, and contributions from key agencies such as NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy.
The lecture is expected to attract over 500 stakeholders, including security experts, shipowners, insurers, regulators, diplomats, and legal professionals, reaffirming MAMAL’s status as a premier gathering for discourse on maritime policy and reform.
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