Maritime
National single window Our Focus—Maritime Agencies
Federal Government Agencies under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Transportation (FMOT), have reached an agreement to digitalize their internal processes, while also maintaining focus on actualizing the National Single Window regime in the nation’s transportation sector. This agreement was reached at the 4th Heads of Maritime Agencies meeting in Lagos. Addressing the press after the meeting, the Registrar of Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Barrister Sam Nwakohu, disclosed that full automation of the internal processes of the various Agencies represented, is a pre-requisite to achieving the much anticipated National Single Window regime in the sector.
Nwakohu, who was the Chairman of the meeting, said the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the various Agencies have agreed on timelines to achieve full automation of internal processes. “We have agreed that all Agencies under the Ministry of Transportation should as a matter of priority, attain full automation. This process will be well coordinated and we also gave ourselves timelines to achieve this”. He said. On his part, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh said that NIMASA automation processes have reached over 80%.
Jamoh also gave the assurance that NIMASA’s commitment to automation is to reduce human interface, while also plugging revenue leakages in the system. “In line with the Federal Government’s Executive Order on Ease of Doing Business, we are committed to full automation to attain reduction of human interface in majority of our transactions with our stakeholders and this is in our bid to ensure transparency and professionalism which the sector requires to grow. The goal is to align with the National Single Window initiative, when all the internal processes of the various Agencies have been concluded”, he said.
Commenting on the high freight rate occasioned by the War Risk Insurance placed on Nigerian bound vessels; the NIMASA DG stated that the Agency would focus on creating the awareness, while also canvassing the International Community for a review. This move is in relation to the removal of Nigeria from the global piracy list. “It may interest you to know that by the end of this quarter, which is the end of June, we would have recorded another milestone as we are yet to record a single attack or incident of maritime insecurity on our waters. Therefore, we will keep advocating for the total removal of War Risk Insurance by the international community, so that Nigerians can benefit from that”, Jamoh stated.
It may be recalled that the maiden edition of the meeting was in 2020, with the aim of enhancing synergy and cooperation of parastatals under the supervision of the FMOT, which is intended for a more effective and efficient maritime sector. The meeting also had in attendance; Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr. Mohammed Bello Koko; Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hon. Emmanuel Jime; Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Dr. George Moghalu. Others are; Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr. Fidet Okhiria; Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron, Commodore Emmanuel Duja Effedua and Director General, Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria, Mr. Bayero Salih-Farah Zaria.
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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