Former Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Chief Adebayo Sarumi, was last Tuesday elected the 5th President of the Nigerian Chmaber of Shipping (NCS). He replaces Vice Admiral Mike Akhigbe who died in New York, USA on 28th October 2013.
Sarumi served as Managing Director of NPA from October 15, 2003 to May 2007. He executed the the Federal Government’s port reform programme which led to the successful transfer of terminal handling operations from NPA to private companies.
His election came barely two weeks after stakeholders in the maritime industry held a colloquium on port reform in Lagos to mark the port industry icon’s 70th birthday. Sarumi has over the years become synonymous with transport and logistics management, particularly in the maritime sector.
Sarumi honed his skills in port and shipping administration in over four decades of academic and professional studies, as well as industry experience. Armed with his Geography degree, he had taught school for a few years before he joined the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as a Traffic Officer in 1973.
Sarumi was appointed General Manager, Marine Services of NPA in 1995; a position he held until he was appointed the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) in September 1996.
As the NSC’s helmsman for over seven years, Sarumi pioneered extensive reforms in shippers’ protection, enlightenment, information and education. Between 1997 and 1998, he was the Chairman, Union of African Shippers’ Councils (UASC), a position he used to bridge information and relational gap between providers and users of shipping services in sub-Sahara Africa. He served in NSC until October 2003 when he was appointed Managing Director of NPA.
A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (FCILT), UK,Sarumi is a holder of Nigerian National Honour of the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR).
He is currently the Chairman of Fobat Group of Companies, with interests in marine logistics and consultancy, real estate and agriculture.
The Nigerian Chamber of Shipping was formed in 2002 with the primary objective of ensuring that indigenous operators participate fully in coastal and international trades. Past Presidents of the NCS include Olisa Agbakoba, Femi Otedola, Oscar Ibru and Mike Akhigbe.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.