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Fast-changing Arctic and North Atlantic conditions bring route risk

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Climate change is impacting ice hazards for shipping, freeing up new trade routes in some areas, while increasing the risk of ice in others. More information on the Safety and Shipping Review 2018.

There was another milestone for Arctic shipping in early 2018 when a specially-designed LNG tanker became the first commercial ship to travel the Northern Sea Route in winter and without the assistance of an ice breaker.

The Eduard Toll successfully journeyed from South Korea to Montoir, France via northern Russia, shaving around 3,000 nautical miles off the traditional transit via the Suez Canal.

It followed the transit in August 2017 of another specially-designed tanker, the Christophe de Margerle, which became the first merchant ship to sail across the Arctic Ocean without the aid of an icebreaker. It took just 19 days to reach South Korea from Norway, almost a week faster than going via the Mediterranean.

Arctic ice has been thinning and retreating over the past 40 years, bringing new opportunities for shipping, but also serious environmental concerns. Research shows the mean center of shipping activity moved 300km north and east— closer to the North Pole—over a seven-year span.

As a result, a growing number of vessels are sailing in Arctic waters. For example, cargo volumes on the Northern Sea Route (NSR) increased by nearly 40% to 9.7 million tons in 2017, the biggest annual volume ever, according to the Russian Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport.

This is expected to rise to 40 million tons by 2022, reflecting the development of oil and gas fields, and 70 to 80 million tons by 2030. “Climate change could open up new shipping routes in the Arctic, such as the North West Passage, and routes across Russia and Canada. These routes will have advantages as well as disadvantages. For example, a collision in a remote hostile environment like the Arctic could prove challenging, and would be a long way away from salvage teams,” says Volker Dierks, Head of Marine Hull Underwriting, AGCS Central & Eastern Europe.

In February 2018, China announced plans for an “Arctic Silk Road” by developing shipping lanes opened up by global warming. China said it would encourage infrastructure development and conduct commercial trial voyages in Arctic waters, with plans to build its first Polar expedition cruise ship by 2019.

At the beginning of 2017 the International Code of Safety for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code) came into force. The code introduces mandatory requirements for shipping in Polar regions, principally relating to ice navigation, manning and ship design.

“The Polar Code continues to be refined,” says Captain Andrew Kinsey, Senior Marine Risk Consultant, AGCS. “Arctic conditions are fast-changing and the normal International Maritime Organization review updates are too slow. For these new shipping routes we need to find faster ways to disseminate information and the lessons of successful transits.”

Ships operating in Arctic waters are bound by the Polar Code, but ice is also posing a significant hazard for shipping elsewhere.

Outside the Arctic and Antarctic, a number of so-called conditional areas also carry a higher risk of ice, including the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Alaska, Sakhalin, Russia and the Baltic Sea. Trading in these areas has also been increasing with global warming.

There is also a threat of ice hazards in more southerly shipping routes from icebergs. At the end of 2017, the US Coast Guard’s International Ice Patrol warned shipping companies that an unusual number of icebergs were drifting into shipping lanes. It found that over 1,000 icebergs had drifted into North Atlantic shipping lanes in 2017, marking it the fourth consecutive season where the danger has been classified as “extreme”.

“Such extraordinary conditions require complementary training for crew, as well as additional routing support,” says Arnaud Gibrais, a Senior Marine Risk Consultant at AGCS, based in Paris.

“A melting Arctic could lead to an increase in icebergs affecting trade routes, although this has not yet been a problem for the major north, south, east or west shipping lanes. But this might become more of an issue in the future,” adds Dierks.

Climate researchers at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg have also claimed more Arctic sea ice is entering the North Atlantic Ocean, increasing the level of hazard for ships in late spring. Arctic sea ice blocked normally open areas of ocean around Newfoundland in May and June 2017.

The ice cover trapped many ships and even sunk some boats when it punctured hulls, the research found.

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Spotlight

MTN’s Dr. Goodluck Named Among Nigeria’s Top PR Changemakers

Nigerian PR Must Adopt Customer Service Principles Says MTN’s PR Manager | Reporter: SANDRA ANI

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MTN’s PR Manager - Lakinbofa Goodluck
L-R: Segun McMedal, Lead Partner at Upticomm Marketing Company, and Former Chairman of the Lagos NIPR; Jimmie Akinsola, TV host and Actor, and Founder, Lagos Athletics; Dr. Olubukola George-Taylor, Managing Director, Robert Taylor Media; and Dr. Lakinbofa Goodluck, Public Relations Manager, MTN Nigeria, during the Lagos World PR Day Soiree and Power List Presentation where Dr. Goodluck was recognised as one of Nigeria’s top PR Changemakers, held at the Alliance Française, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Dr. Lakinbofa Goodluck, MTN Nigeria’s Public Relations Manager, has been recognised in the ‘Changemakers’ category as one of the leading voices advocating for a shift in how Nigerian PR professionals approach their craft.

Speaking at the recent 2025 PR Power List event at the Alliance Français, Ikoyi, Lagos, he drew compelling parallels between customer service excellence and effective public relations strategy.

“PR has progressed from that period when the speech was one company to everyone, now we do one company-to-one person engagement. It’s the same principle that is applied in customer relations,” Dr. Goodluck explained during a panel session. His approach centres on the principle that successful brands speak to one customer at a time, designing products and messages for individual satisfaction, knowing that others within similar demographics will naturally follow suit.

At the corporate level, managing communications for Africa’s largest telecommunications company requires a delicate balance between authenticity and appropriateness. Goodluck emphasised the critical importance of understanding media consumption behaviour as part of audience analysis, a component he believes many PR professionals overlook. “If you understand the media consumption behaviour, then you’ll be able to tailor your message to the audience properly,” he stated.

The communications expert referenced Marshall McLuhan’s famous theory that “the medium is the message,” explaining how platforms dictate communication formats and styles. This insight becomes particularly crucial for Nigerian brands navigating diverse media landscapes, from traditional outlets to rapidly evolving social media platforms like TikTok, where content format fundamentally shapes message delivery.

His customer service-inspired approach to PR represents a strategic evolution for Nigeria’s communications industry, moving away from broad, generic messaging toward precision-targeted, individually-focused communication that creates ripple effects across larger audience segments.

Others present on the panel session titled “The PR Hustle: Breaking In, Staying In, and Standing Out” were Segun McMedal, Lead Partner at Upticomm Marketing Company and Former Chairman of the Lagos NIPR; Jimmie Akinsola, TV host and Actor, and Founder of Lagos Athletics; and Dr. Olubukola George-Taylor, Managing Director of Robert Taylor Media.

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Sports

MTN Nigeria Awards 150 million Naira to Super Falcons after Historic WAFCON 2024 Win

Reporter: Sandra Ani

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MTN Nigeria Awards The Super Falcons 150 Million Naira Following WAFCON Win
L-R: Dr. Muhammed Sanusi, General Secretary, Nigeria Football Federation; Dr Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria; Rashidat Ajibade, Captain, Super Falcons; Ifueko Okauru, Director, MTN Nigeria; Chiamaka Nnadozie, Goalkeeper, Super Falcons and Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, President, Nigerian Football Federation at an MTN Super Falcons Breakfast Reception held at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on Thursday, July 31, 2025.

MTN Nigeria has rewarded the Nigerian Super Falcons with 150 million naira following their remarkable victory at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). 

The announcement was made at a celebratory breakfast reception hosted by the technology company in Lagos, in the presence of Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) leadership and female executives across key sectors, alongside a host of MTN executives who came out to celebrate the champions and reaffirm the company’s commitment to football, inclusion and youth empowerment.

The Super Falcons’ win goes down as one of the most thrilling in tournament history. Facing Morocco on their home soil, Nigeria came back from 2-0 down to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory, clinching their 10th WAFCON title and reinforcing their status as Africa’s most decorated women’s team. 

Delivering the opening remarks, MTN’s Chief Marketing Officer, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, highlighted the Super Falcons’ win as an inspiration for Nigerian women. “The Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is a championship that has been held 13 times and Nigeria has won 10 times. This is no small feat. It is a testament  to how determined  Nigerian women can be when they set out to achieve something. What you have achieved not only makes Nigeria proud, but it makes us, even we women, proud. Here at MTN, we believe, and one of our values is ‘Can Do’, can do with integrity. Your final match  exemplifies that.”

As the official telecommunications partner of the NFF, MTN presented the 150 million naira reward to celebrate the team’s resilience and achievement. MTN director, Ifueko Okauru explained that 115 million naira would go to the players and 35 million to the technical team. 

“At MTN we believe in the power of connection, not just through technology, but through our soul, through our spirits, what we share and what unifies us,” said Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria.

Toriola described the company’s investment in the NFF as fruitful. “As proud sponsors of the Nigerian Football Federation, this long-term significantly financially-heavy investment in supporting the NFF has borne so many fruits. We followed you through every match, every challenge, every trial  and some of them losses. We followed you and we continue to support you and today we are so proud to say our efforts have not been in vain. We followed you for the big things, we followed you for the smaller things.

He added, “To the Super Falcons, you are more than athletes, you are inspirations. You are an inspiration for everyone in Nigeria, every young lady to go out there and make a difference. You are role models, you are ambassadors, and you are proof that when Nigerian women rise, the world will take notice.”

Captain of the Super Falcons, Rashidat Ajibade, thanked MTN and its board members for their warm reception and support. “We appreciate you a lot. We feel valued, we feel honoured, we feel respected, and this only inspires us to do better, and keep inspiring the next generation.”

“This win is for all of us,” she said, dedicating the 10th title not just to the current Super Falcons squad but to all the players who came before. While grateful for the milestone, she made it clear they were not content. “We want to take this to the next level. We want to be global contenders. We don’t want to be just local champions. It’s time to take it to the next level. We understand the huge responsibility on us,  and we hope that we can all work together, the Federation, the federal government, and also private bodies to keep investing and keep supporting  the Super Falcons Council so we can all  achieve this objective.”

The breakfast reception featured a classical string quartet, stirring soul-Afrobeats choir rendition that had the Falcons on their feet, dancing joyfully in celebration of their hard-won victory. Singer Praiz also delivered a performance that drew cheers from the audience and added to the festive energy in the room.

As the nation continues to celebrate their victory, this moment stands as both a reward and a reminder of what Nigerian women can achieve when backed by belief, investment and opportunity. The celebration was especially timely as it fell on Pan African Women’s Day, a fitting moment to honour the strength, resilience and achievements of Nigerian women on and off the pitch.

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Spotlight

At 59, Irona Celebrated as a Steadfast, Trusted Leader

Reporter: SANDRA ANI

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Engr. Gerald Irona,
Engr. Gerald Irona

It was a moment of heartfelt tributes and celebration on Friday, as family, friends, political allies, and well-wishers gathered at the Abuja residence of former Deputy Governor of Imo State, Engr. Gerald Irona, to mark his 59th birthday.

Speakers hailed Irona as a principled, dependable, and courageous leader whose legacy continues to inspire trust and admiration.

The atmosphere brimmed with admiration as speaker after speaker paid glowing tributes to Engr. Irona, describing him as a dependable, courageous, and principled leader whose legacy continues to inspire across political and social divides.

Engr. Gerald Irona and the wife
Engr. Gerald Irona and the wife

In their separate remarks, three former members of the House of Representatives – Hon. Ikenga Mayor Eze, Hon. Jeff Ojinika, and Hon. ThankGod Ezeani, praised Irona’s unwavering commitment to justice and fairness, describing him as a relentless crusader for equity and good governance.

“Irona is dependable. He does not tolerate injustice in any form,” they affirmed. “He is steadfast and upright, always willing to stand for what is right, even in the face of adversity.”

Echoing similar sentiments, former Secretary to the Government of Imo State and ex-federal lawmaker, Hon. Uche Onyeagucha, hailed Irona as “a man of truth who consistently chooses the path of justice, regardless of whose ox is gored.”

Also lending his voice, former Director of Public Affairs at the Nigeria Agip Oil Company, Barry Nwibani, reflected on over two decades of personal friendship and professional admiration. “Engr. Irona’s consistency, integrity, and lifestyle remain exemplary. He represents the kind of leadership Nigeria yearns for – credible, courageous, and selfless.”

In a heartfelt tribute posted on his verified Facebook page, former Governor of Imo State, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, described Irona as “a trusted pillar of steadfast loyalty.” The former Governor used the opportunity to also celebrate the Director General of the Rebuild Imo Movement, Dr. Vin Udokwu, who marked his 68th birthday on the same day.

Engr. Gerald Irona
Chike Walter Duru, Ph.D, Associate Professor of Mass Communication, and Communication Consultant to the Former Deputy Governor of Imo State, Hon. Engr. Gerald Irona, greeting the celebrant and the wife

The message, titled “Honouring Two Steadfast Allies,” read in part:

“To the glory of God, I celebrate two exceptional men – Rt. Hon. Gerald Irona, my trusted Deputy in Imo, as he turns 59, and Dr. Vin Udokwu, our devoted Director General of the Rebuild Imo Movement, marking 68 remarkable years.

Over time, these two gentlemen have proven to be trusted pillars of steadfast loyalty, exemplary character, and resolute commitment. Their dedication to service and the shared vision for Imo has inspired confidence and hope across the state and beyond.”

In his remarks during a virtual chat, former lawmaker representing Oguta State Constituency at the Imo State House of Assembly, Hon. Frank Ugboma stressed that

“His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Gerald A. Irona is not just a leader but an inspiration to many of us who look up to his courage and commitment to service. Celebrating him at 59 is celebrating excellence, resilience, and uncommon grace.”

Irona’s wife, Ogbuefi Vivian Irona, in a special birthday message, described Irona as a selfless leader. Her message reads in part – “today, I celebrate not just your birth, but the man you are- strong, yet gentle, visionary, yet humble, courageous, yet compassionate.”

“Your life of service, both to your family and to the people of Imo State speaks volumes of your character – selfless, noble, and deeply inspiring.”

Adding his voice, former Chairman of Oru West Local Government Area of Imo State, Ken Akunnakwe stressed that “in Hon. Gerald Irona, I found a humble, loyal, consistent, and practical politician. He is a man of few words who leads by example. Beyond his kindness, Irona is deeply grateful to those who have contributed to his journey.

Engr. Gerald Irona birthday in Abuja

Beyond Abuja, the 59th birthday of Engr. Irona was also celebrated by associates and supporters at various locations in Imo State, including the ‘Rebuild Imo movement’, reflecting the wide-reaching admiration he enjoys for his leadership, integrity, and principled politics.

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