Maritime
NIMASA proposes N160bn for 2023 fiscal year to Senate
Director-General Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh has presented to Senate that the agency was proposing N160 billion as its total expenditure for the 2023 fiscal year. Meanwhile, the Senate has hailed NIMASA for achieving zero attacks on any vessel on the Nigerian waterways in the last one year.
Speaking in Abuja when he appeared before the Senator Danjuma Goje, led Senate Committee on Marine Transport to defend the 2023 budget estimates, the NIMASA DG told the Senate Committee that the implementation of the Deep Blue Sea project greatly enabled the agency to tackle the unfortunate wave of banditry and piracy on Nigerian waterways. Jamoh said that the attacks on vessels on the Nigerian waterways, worsened some time in 2019, thereby forcing stakeholders in the global maritime sector to declare Nigeria waters as the worst to navigate on. He said that the situation led to the establishment of the Deep Blue Sea Project to tackle the menace.
The NIMASA boss said, “The Deep Blue Sea Project was initiated between 2016 and 2017 when the international community declared Nigerian waters as the most dangerous to trade. The budget of the Navy, whose responsibility it is to ensure security on the sea, was too slim to carry out the task. At the same time, the Act establishing NIMASA stipulates that we should provide security for the vessels navigating the nation’s territorial waters. We are to safeguard and protect the vessels against attacks. This led to the establishment of the Deep Blue Sea Project which made use of the land, air and sea assets. .
“That led to the use of the Nigerian Navy Platform On land, we have 16 armoured vehicles specially built to take care of creeks. In the whole world, Nigerian creeks are the biggest and most dangerous terrain to penetrate. That was where the men of the underworld hide and launch consistent attacks on the vessels. They kidnap people in the process and hide them in the creeks. The armoured vehicles were built specially to enter the creeks and fish out the criminals and their victims. We also have the Command and the Command Centre which enables our personnel to see any target on the sea throughout the day and night. It also enables them to react to anything that constitute danger either in the sea, a it or land. Apart from that, we have the sea platforms which constitutes two special mission vessels which have the capacity to stay on the high sea for almost three days without refuelling.
“We also have some aircraft which were also deployed for the project. As of 2020, Nigeria was recording one attack of vessels per day. However by February 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari directed that only the NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy should provide security on the nation’s territorial waters. All the platforms were handed over to the Nigerian Navy, Air force and the Army. By the their quarter of 2021, we have achieved the milestone. We reduced the attacks, from one per day to one per month. I am happy to announce to this committee, that we have not had a single attack since the third quarter of 2021 to date.
“In addition to that, the international community in March this year, saved Nigeria from the stigma of having the most dangerous water to trade. We have succeeded exceedingly with the implementation of the Deep Blue Sea Project with some foreign countries already supporting us in recognition of our success story. “ At the end of the day, Chairman of the Committee and members expressed satisfaction with the achievement of NIMASA on the project implementation. Goje said, “I commend NIMASA for eradicating attacks of vessels on the Nigerian territorial waters and I want the DG and his men to sustain it.”
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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