The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr Pius Akutah, has charged the Public Relations unit to deepen collaboration with inter-agency collaboration, embrace personal branding and leverage social media for impactful communication.

Speaking at the opening of the 2025 Public Relations Retreat in Lagos, Akutah emphasised that strategic communication is central to NSC’s ongoing transition into the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), aligning with national efforts to drive economic diversification and maritime reform.

Akutah gave the charge at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Public Relations Retreat, with the theme: “Building, Strategic Planning, Sharing Ideas to Stay Ahead of Competition,” held recently in Lagos.

Akutah said the retreat, themed around strategic media engagement and regulatory transition, marked a pivotal moment in the NSC’s evolution, and signals a stronger emphasis on professional communication as it prepares to transmute to the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) with the goal of creating effective regulations at the nation’s maritime sector.

He commended the Public Relations Unit for its impressive performance while urging the team to demonstrate even greater commitment moving forward. Highlighting the critical transition of the NSC into a full-fledged economic regulator for the ports sector, Akutah tied the Council’s goals directly to the administration’s economic diversification agenda.

“What we are up for is good for the country and the maritime sector. It is in full support of Mr. President’s vision for economic transformation, and we have the backing of our minister who has given us the freedom to innovate,” he said.

Looking ahead, Akutah revealed plans for specialised training and retraining of media personnel within the Council, alongside a more structured division of responsibilities within the press unit.

He also hinted at the development of multiple public awareness jingles, especially around upcoming innovations like the Council’s new mobile app, which was recently demonstrated by the Consumer Affairs Department.

Akutah further charged participants to use the retreat to generate implementable ideas that would shape the agency’s communications strategy and public image in the transformative months ahead.

The Director/Head of the Strategic Planning & Research Department, Rotimi Anifowese, emphasised the critical role of personal and professional branding, language proficiency, and inter-agency collaboration in advancing the Council’s public image and operational effectiveness. Rotimi emphasised the importance of strategic networking within and outside the maritime sector.