Maritime
FG repositioning maritime -Buhari
The representative of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is also the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi at the unveiling of the book titled: Harnessing Nigeria’s Maritime Assets – Past, Present and Future, authored by the Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Bashir Jamoh at a public presentation alongside other dignitaries in Abuja .
President Muhammadu Buhari has identified maritime sector as rich with untapped assets which the government is repositioning to drive the economy and promote diversification. Buhari stated this on Tuesday in Abuja, at the launch of a book written by Mr Bashir Jamoh, Executive Director (Finance and Administration), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). The book is entitled, “Harnessing Nigeria’s Maritime Assets – Past, Present and Future’’. Buhari who was represented by the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, said that the Nigerian maritime sector had rich and untapped assets.
He said that with reforms and proper investments in the sector, the country would grow economically. “The reforms have already started with NIMASA which has been so far transformed from a contract-awarding agency to a true industry regulator it was created to be. Poor attention paid to the sector by past administrations robbed it of the capacity to effectively play a pivotal role in economic development. All will be done to grow the sector, especially in the urgent task of boosting non-oil revenue sources. Many shippers and stakeholders have been angling for the disbursement of the cabottage funds being kept which will be appropriately spent at the right time, for the purpose it was created.
“We will not bring the cabottage fund out to be shared. There’s a new NIMASA in place today; it is not a contract-awarding agency,’’ Buhari said. The president urged Nigerians to read the book to be more informed and support his administration’s efforts to transform the sector. Also speaking, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, said that the book was rich as it captured ways of taking the sector to greater heights. “I am happy that this book has brought out the essentials and major elements that constitute our maritime assets. You will agree with me that if you harness all the assets together without providing the needed security, definitely you will be in a very difficult situation.
“I urge NIMASA not to forget the Lake Chad waters; we still have that gold mine there and it provides more opportunity for us to earn more and improve the nation’s economy. We are working very hard to ensure that the North East is stabilised and that will require the concerted efforts of all Nigerians,’’ Buratai said. In his remarks, the Ogun Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, commended the author and described the book as well-researched. Amosun who was represented by Mrs Yetunde Onanuga, the Deputy Governor of the state, said that the content of the book would help improve the maritime sector. I know that this book will further develop the economy of this nation especially the maritime industry. I am very optimistic that this book will be a practical blueprint in diversifying and transforming the economy, ’’ Amosun said.
On his part, the author of the book, Mr. Bashir Jamoh noted that the book was borne out of his passion for the development of the maritime sector, adding that this is just the beginning for Nigeria as the intention of the book is to expose the vast opportunities in the maritime sector to equally do well as oil and agriculture have done to the economy. The NIMASA Executive Director who is a seasoned administrator with over 25 years’ experience in the maritime sector is currently a Ph. D student at the University of Port Harcourt, specializing in Logistics and Transport Management.
Dignitaries at the occasion include; representatives of the Emirs of Kano, HRH, Sanusi Lamido II and the Emir of Zauzau, HRH, Dr. Shehu Idris. Others include; Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, who was represented by his Deputy, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga, Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media, Mr. Garba Shehu, past Director Generals of NIMASA, key industry players amongst other.
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has expressed confidence that the Maritime Labour E-Platform would boost the sector’s competitiveness as it hosted a workshop to sensitize users of the portal through practical demonstrations and interactive sessions. Held in Lagos, the workshop practicalized the process of registering, verifying and issuing identity cards to seafarers and dockworkers via the NIMASA portal (@nimasa.gov.ng). Practical support measures, including training, cybersecurity and planning a phased rollout to ensure smooth adoption, were also discussed.
Speaking at the event, the NIMASA Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Jibril Abba stressed the importance of the digital platform to achieving global competitiveness, stating that “our digital transformation is underway. This year we launched the Maritime Labour E-Platform, building on our 2022 dockworkers registration success.
It is a modern, integrated system for registering and verifying seafarers, dockworkers, employers, and other stakeholders.” Represented by the Director, Maritime Labour Services Department, Mr. Ibrahim Umar Sidi, the Executive Director further noted that “by centralizing registration and issuing secure biometric ID cards, it cuts paperwork, speeds up processing, and gives us reliable real-time data. This helps us meet our obligations under the Maritime Labour Convention and boosts Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global Blue Economy.”
He also emphasized that the actualization of the digital platform was in line with the Agency’s statutory obligations, stating that, “This initiative directly fulfils our mandate under Section 27(1)(a) of the NIMASA Act 2007, which charges us with the duty to document and maintain a register of every maritime worker and operator. It also aligns with our obligations under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, often called the “Seafarers’ Bill of Rights for promoting fair working conditions, health protections, and social security.
In its efforts to build a smarter, more transparent, and efficient maritime sector, the Federal Government launched the Maritime Labour E-Platform, during an event in June marking the 2025 Day of the Seafarer in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The platform, which is a digital solution designed to revolutionize the governance of maritime labour in Nigeria, was described by the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola at the time as “a transformative tool for labour administration”.
Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola has noted that effective Port State Control (PSC) is one of the most potent tools of ensuring global safety and maintenance of environmental standards in shipping.
Dr. Mobereola who said this at a 5-day Regional Train the Trainer Workshop on Port State Control (PSC) for Member States of the Abuja Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with the support of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), further emphasized that the quality of the professionals who implement PSC determines its overall success. Represented by the Executive Director, Operations, Engr. Fatai Taiye Adeyemi, the DG described the workshop as a reflection of Africa’s shared commitment to safer, cleaner, and more efficient shipping.
“Your presence here demonstrates our collective resolve to strengthen efficient maritime governance, improve safety standards, and enhance environmental protection across West and Central Africa,” he said. The DG commended the IMO, the Abuja MoU Secretariat, and all technical partners for their continued support towards capacity-building, regional cooperation, and the promotion of maritime safety in Africa.
Delivering a goodwill message, the representative of the IMO, Captain Ahmed Sewelam, reaffirmed the Organization’s unwavering commitment to supporting Member States through its technical cooperation programme to strengthen effective and harmonized Port State Control regimes globally. “Effective regional cooperation and harmonized PSC practices are essential to eliminate substandard shipping and promote consistency across the region,” Captain Sewelam said. He said that the workshop provides a unique platform for delegates to strengthen their collective capacity as Port States, while discussing key elements such as inspection procedures, reporting, and strategies for improved performance noting that “together, we can strengthen Port State Control implementation and advance maritime safety and sustainability in the region”.
On his part, the Secretary General of the Abuja MoU, Captain Sunday Umoren, reiterated that capacity building remains a top priority of the Abuja MoU. He noted that effective Flag State control directly influences the quality of Port State Control operations, emphasizing the importance of strong national systems. “We must continue to build capacity, strengthen cooperation, and share experiences to ensure that our region maintains high standards of maritime safety and compliance,” he said.
The Train-the-Trainer Workshop on Port State Control under the Abuja MoU represents another milestone in NIMASA’s ongoing efforts to strengthen maritime safety, promote environmental protection, and consolidate Nigeria’s leadership role in advancing regional maritime development. The workshop, which is being held in Lagos, has brought together delegates from 22 countries across West and Central Africa to deepen capacity, harmonize standards, and strengthen maritime safety oversight across the region.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) announced on Monday that about 20 ships laden with food items, petroleum products, and other goods are expected to arrive at Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports in Lagos. In its shipping position for Monday, the authority disclosed that the ships will arrive in Lagos from November 10 to 12.
According to the NPA, out of the 20 expected ships, four contain crude oil, four contain petrol, three others are to arrive with aviation fuel, while the remaining nine ships are to arrive with diesel, gas oil, and different products.
The NPA also hinted that three ships had arrived at the ports and were waiting to berth with general cargo and bulk urea. Meanwhile, it says that 11 ships are currently at the ports discharging general cargoes, bulk wheat, bulk sugar, containers, and bulk gas. NAN
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