At MARAN Inauguration, Stakeholders Tie Maritime Growth to Media Ethics

Stakeholders across Nigeria’s maritime industry have stressed the need for ethical journalism as a catalyst for sustainable maritime development and national growth, as the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) inaugurated its new Executive Council led by Comrade Oluyinka Onigbinde, in Lagos.

Speaking at the inauguration themed, “Upholding Ethical Journalism for Maritime Development,” on Tuesday, 23 June 2026, industry leaders, security agencies and professional bodies charged maritime journalists to remain committed to truth, fairness, accountability and professionalism in reporting developments within the sector.

In his keynote address, the Chief Executive Officer of Indigo Integrated, Mr. Bolaji Abimbola, described journalism as the backbone of accountability, public trust, and informed citizenship, stressing that ethical reporting remains indispensable to both national and maritime development.

Abimbola explained that maritime development encompasses shipping, port operations, fisheries, offshore energy, coastal trade, and the blue economy, warning that unethical journalism could undermine investor confidence, distort public perception, and hinder policy implementation.

According to him, inaccurate reports on issues such as port congestion, piracy, and maritime regulations have the potential to discourage investors and shipping operators, while sensational reporting of security incidents could trigger unnecessary panic and misconceptions about the sector.

He urged journalists to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, balance, accountability, and humanity in their reporting, while embracing data-driven and investigative journalism to deepen public understanding of maritime issues.

The maritime expert also identified economic pressures, political interference, safety concerns, and the proliferation of misinformation on digital platforms as some of the major challenges confronting ethical journalism in Nigeria.

Chairman of the occasion and President of the Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN), Mr. Emmanuel Maiguwa, emphasized the importance of ethical and investigative journalism in promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance within the maritime industry.

Maiguwa noted that journalists have a critical responsibility to remain committed to factual reporting and continuous professional development in order to maintain public trust and contribute meaningfully to policy reforms and sectoral growth.

Speaking on behalf of the National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Chief Tochukwu Emmanuel Ezisi, the association’s General Secretary, Mr. Godfrey Nwosu, described ethical journalism as a stabilizing force capable of strengthening the maritime sector.

Nwosu said responsible journalism promotes transparency in port operations, enhances institutional accountability, boosts investor confidence, and supports reforms necessary for the growth of the industry.

He urged the newly inaugurated executive council to focus on upholding professional standards, strengthening investigative reporting, deepening stakeholder engagement, embracing digital transformation, and investing in continuous capacity development.

He also reaffirmed NAGAFF’s commitment to collaborating with MARAN in the areas of training, research, information sharing, and advocacy.

Also speaking, the Commissioner of Police, Ports Authority Police (Western) Command, CP Toyin Agbaminoja, represented by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Isaac Hundeyin, highlighted the strategic role of maritime journalists in promoting transparency, accountability, and public understanding of issues affecting the maritime industry.

The police commissioner commended MARAN for its professionalism in reporting security-related developments within the ports environment, noting that the association’s work has contributed significantly to crime prevention awareness and strengthened public confidence in security agencies.

She assured stakeholders of the command’s commitment to maintaining a safe, secure, and business-friendly port environment through intelligence-led policing, proactive stakeholder engagement, and enhanced inter-agency collaboration.

Agbaminoja further encouraged the newly inaugurated executives to build on the achievements of their predecessors and uphold the highest standards of ethics, professionalism, and integrity throughout their tenure.

Earlier, the newly inaugurated MARAN President, Comrade Oluyinka Onigbinde said the association’s credibility remained its greatest asset, noting that ethical journalism goes beyond reporting events to informing, educating, investigating and holding institutions accountable.

According to him, sustainable maritime development cannot thrive without credible information, transparency and accountability, stressing that journalists must resist sensationalism and misinformation while ensuring that every report is guided by truth, fairness and balance.

He outlined his vision for a stronger and more united association driven by capacity building, digital transformation, investigative journalism and strategic partnerships, while maintaining editorial independence.

“As maritime journalists, our duty goes beyond reporting events. We are expected to inform, educate, investigate, analyse and hold institutions accountable. We must resist sensationalism, reject misinformation and ensure that every report we publish is guided by truth, fairness, balance and professionalism,” he stated.

Stakeholders at the event unanimously agreed that ethical journalism remains indispensable to maritime and national development, emphasising that accurate and responsible reporting is essential for policy formulation, investor confidence, institutional accountability and the growth of Nigeria’s blue economy.

They called on journalists to continue choosing truth over sensationalism and public interest over patronage, noting that a vibrant and ethical media remains a critical pillar for the sustainable development of the nation’s maritime sector.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by maritime industry leaders, government officials, security agencies, freight forwarders, and media practitioners.