Celtras 12th Anniversary Celebration and Award Night

CELTRAS Marks 12 Years of Excellence in Logistics and Transport Education

The Centre for Logistics and Transport Studies (CELTRAS), University of Port Harcourt, proudly celebrated its 12th Anniversary on February 27, 2025, marking over a decade of impactful contributions to the advancement of logistics, transport, and supply chain education in Nigeria.

Established in 2012, CELTRAS has become a centre of excellence, training highly skilled professionals and providing thought leadership in logistics and transport policy, management, and innovation. This year’s celebration brought together stakeholders from academia, government, industry, and the broader university community to reflect on the Centre’s journey and chart a course for the future.

The anniversary event with the theme ’Logistics and Transport: The Heartbeat of the Blue Economy featured keynote addresses, goodwill messages, awards presentations, and panel discussions. Notably, the occasion was graced by Her Excellency, Chief (Dr.) Mujidat Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria and first daughter of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who served as the Special Guest of Honour. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to leadership and empowerment, she was honoured with the Distinguished Iconic Leader Award. A life-size portrait of the Iyaloja-General was also presented to her.

In the same vein, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, who also serves as the Chairman of the CELTRAS Governing Board, was honoured with the Distinguished Iconic Leader Award during the event. Following his Anniversary/Graduation Lecture, a Lifesize Portrait was also presented to him in recognition of his exemplary leadership and enduring contributions to the transport and logistics sector.

Also honoured was the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Georgewill Owunari, who received the CELTRAS Brand Personality Award for his unwavering support and strategic vision that has propelled the Centre’s growth and visibility. Not leaving out the DG/CEO, NIMASA, the Anniversary/Graduation Lecturer.

The Director of CELTRAS, Professor Collins H. Wizor, in his welcome address, emphasized the Centre’s commitment to delivering hybrid, industry-aligned postgraduate programmes in Logistics and Transport Management that respond to national and global needs. He highlighted CELTRAS’ unique positioning as a Centre with strong academic grounding and deep industry linkages, supported by institutions such as NIMASA, FRSC, and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIOTA), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Shippers Council, Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), etc.

The event also served as a platform to showcase CELTRAS’ achievements, including:

• Graduation of a total number of 412 PGD, MSc, and PhD candidates.
• Strategic partnerships with regulatory and professional bodies.
• Infrastructural development, including the NIMASA House at the Abuja Campus.
• A growing portfolio of hybrid learning options for working professionals.

The anniversary celebration concluded with a renewed call to stakeholders to deepen collaboration, expand funding opportunities, and invest in research and innovation within the transport and logistics supply chain management space.

As CELTRAS moves into its next phase, the Centre remains committed to shaping the future of transport and logistics in Nigeria and beyond through academic excellence, professional relevance, and stakeholder engagement.