As Most Innovative ICT Trade Solution Provider 2022

Nigeria’s foremost maritime Information and Communication Technology (ICT) trade solution provider, Webb Fontaine Nigeria Limited, has emerged Nigeria’s ‘Most Innovative ICT Trade Solution Provider 2022’.

The award according to a statement by the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON), organisers of the 2022 edition of Annual AMJON Conference and Awards will be presented on the meritorious company on Monday, December 19th, 2022 at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos State.

The statement signed by the chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr Kelvin Kagbare disclosed that the company was nominated for the award because of its impeccable reputation in contributing to national economic growth through reliable ICT solutions that supports trade for government and private institutions in the country.

Reacting to the award to the company, maritime expert and publisher of Journal Magazine, Mr. Ismail Aniemu said Webb Fontaine’s value-adding innovations like the Nigerian Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS) and other solutions have helped the Nigeria Customs Service to attain annual trillion naira revenue collections since 2017.

He stressed the importance to the survival of the Nigerian economy, the reported support the company is giving to not less than 14 agencies of the Federal Government to achieve transparent revenue generation.

Aniemu also said that recent feats that promote a sustainable blue economy in the Nigerian maritime sector like Customs cargo tracking being tested in Lagos and seamless integration of the Lekki Deep Seaport with Lagos Free Trade Zone are indeed laudable feats.

He further said that the company’s provision of the ICT backbone for Nigeria’s first automated deep blue seaport in Lekki and the LFZ is a worthy trade master stroke.

According to him, this will engender transparent faster ship turnaround time and assurance of cargo, crew and vessel security using the Webb Fontaine solutions within one of West Africa’s largest and business trans-shipment hubs.

In a related development, organisers of the 2022 edition of the Annual AMJON Conference and Awards have disclosed that barring any last minute change, the iconic event is set to honour the foremost leaders of the industry and prominent stakeholders, including the Chairman/CEO of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the high performing Managing Directors of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Mohammed Bello-Koko and Dr. George Moghalu respectively.

Also for honour at this year’s event holding at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja are the Secretary General of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Dr. Paul Adalikwu, foremost ICT Service provider to the Nigerian Customs Service, Webb Fontaine and the National Patron of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA)/Vice Chairman of Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) High Chief Henry Njoku.

A statement signed by the President of the Association, Mr. Paul Ogbuokiri disclosed that one of the highpoints of this year’s event is the honouring of the pioneering president of the Association, Mr. Ismail Aniemu and another hard working journalist in the industry, Mr. Roland Ekama. The former for his exemplary leadership roles and contribution to the development of the maritime industry, and the latter for his dint of hard work and transformational stories that has continued to endear him to industry leaders and stakeholders.

Mr. Ogbuokiri noted that the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive officer of Nigerian Shippers Council, Hon. Emmanuel Jime, Comptroller Albashir Hamisu, the CAC, FOU Zone B Kaduna are among many other top industry leaders that will be honoured at the event which will be chaired by the President of ANLCA, Chief Tony Iju Nwabunike.

He disclosed that the Conference which has the theme “Maximizing Nigeria’s Blue Economy Through Automation”, will host the industry’s best public and private operators for advancement of the sector.

According to the President of AMJON, the 2022 conference is planned to be the biggest event to be held by the vibrant Nigerian Maritime press this year as stakeholders are excited and expectant more than ever before to benefit from discussions at the conference.

Chairman Organising Committee for the Conference, Mr. Kelvin Kagbare disclosed that the event is billed to be the gathering of the crème de la crème in the maritime, transport, Oil and Gas, Business moguls as well as political bigwigs in Nigeria

Operators from the allied transport and logistics chain sub-sector are also expected at the conference which has been a subject of discussion among stakeholders for weeks.

The Chairman said deserving and patriotic Nigerians who are working hard to reposition and change the narrative in the different sectors of the Nigerian economy shall be honoured at the conference

Traditionally and in line with AMJON conference schedule, there shall be paper presentations by Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Government agencies and Organisations such as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON),

Keynote speakers are; the Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Gen Buba Marwa (rtd) and the Managing Director NLNG Ship Management Limited, Dr Abdulkadir Ahmed.

Mr. Ogbuokiri who assured that this year’s conference will be mother of all conferences implored stakeholders in the industry to participate fully as very germane issues affecting the industry will be dissected and a way forward charted for the Nigerian economy.

Speaking on the business opportunities in the Maritime, Transport, Oil and Gas and other sectors of the economy, the AMJON President said policy formulation and execution of developmental programmes by key Agencies of the Federal Government were factors that shall be x-rayed at the AMJON 2022 conference.

“There is so much that could be achieved if we get our national policies right and resources deployed to harness the huge potentials that remain fallow across sectors,” Mr. Ogbuokiri said