The management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has advised International Oil Companies, terminal and jetty operators, and all other companies involved in stevedoring in the country to refrain from engaging unregistered dockworkers.

The information was contained in a statement made available to Biztellers by the Head, Public Relations, NIMASA, Osagie Edward.

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According to the statement, all stakeholders, including dock labour employers and stevedoring companies, are encouraged to apply for new operating licenses or renew expired ones within a 30-day moratorium period.

“This requirement,” it added, “is stipulated by the NIMASA Act of 2007 and outlined in the NIMASA Stevedoring Regulations of 2014, which mandates strict compliance from all maritime operators.”

Osagie cited the Director General, NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola as laying emphasis on the need for stakeholders to comply with extant laws and regulations.

Dr Mobereola said, “No terminal or company shall continue to engage the services of unregistered dockworkers for cargo handling at their work locations.

“This move is part of our broader effort to ensure safe and regulated operations within Nigeria’s maritime industry. Compliance with these regulations will enhance our ability to maintain an up-to-date database of dockworkers operating in the country. It also improves our planning processes, as we are committed to developing their capacity to meet globally accepted standards for dockworkers in Nigeria. We intend to enforce full compliance after the moratorium period.”

It was gathered that the NIMASA Act, 2007, Part IX, Section 27, addressed the registration of Dockworkers with focus on Maritime Labour.

“It ensures the Registration, Regulation, and control of Maritime Labour, including dockworkers. The Act assigns the Agency the responsibility of maintaining standards in accordance with international best practices,” Osagie added.

The adoption of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model is essential for the infrastructural development of Nigeria’s maritime sector.

This is the view of the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola.

The DG, shared his views while hosting the Director General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh.

He emphasized the importance of the Commission’s increased involvement in attracting private investors to develop infrastructural capacity in Nigeria’s maritime sector.

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Dr. Mobereola said, “We appreciate the Management of the ICRC for being responsive. However, you know that the maritime sector is capital intensive and government funds cannot solely put in place the required infrastructure. We need the ICRC to develop PPP based business models that will be attractive to the private sector both from within and outside the country.

“There is the need to streamline processes by the use of technology, as we will continue to count on the support of ICRC to help drive the Agency’s PPP projects for effective and efficient service delivery to our stakeholders”.

Lending support to Dr. Mobereola’s views, Dr. Ewalefoh, underscored the significance of the maritime sector to Nigeria’s economy.

He noted that the PPP model would facilitate increased funding and expertise from the private sector, thereby accelerating the growth and development of the Nigerian maritime sector. Additionally, he stated that the ICRC is prepared to engage with the Agency on its projects and ensure timely execution.

“There is no time to waste; our country needs lots of funding for infrastructure and we need to create an enabling environment for activities to thrive. First, is service delivery, not revenue generation, and people will be willing to pay if they get the right services”, the ICRC boss noted.

The PPP model has proven to be the most viable approach worldwide for driving government policies that promote development and economic growth.

Biztellers reports that as a regulatory agency and Nigeria’s Maritime Administrator, the NIMASA has consistently embraced collaboration and partnership through the PPP initiative to ensure the growth and development of the maritime sector.

The Secretary-General (SG) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez, has commended Nigeria for leading the charge to maintain the safety and security of commercial shipping in the Gulf of Guinea.

Dominguez expressed particular pleasure with the turn of events given in recent times when the situation in the Red Sea has led to heavier shipping traffic in the region.

The SG shared his views during a meeting with the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, at the IMO headquarters in London.

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He also commended the NIMASA DG for engaging the technical team at the IMO on how Nigeria can address all identified gaps from the 2016 audit conducted by the organization.

In his words “I want to appreciate the effort of Nigeria on the progress made so far as regards security in the Gulf of Guinea region. There were concerns due to the situation in the Red Sea and resultant pressure around the Gulf of Guinea but we are pleased that the situation has remained the same. We at IMO have been working with Nigeria through NIMASA and we desire that the partnership continues.

“I am also happy that you, DG, are meeting with IMO technical staff on how to close all identified gaps before the next audit cycle. This is a step in the right direction and we are ready to give any technical support.”

The SG also announced that the Organization is working on enhancing the Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) to provide better services to member states in terms of information management.

On his part, the NIMASA DG, declared that his administration will pay attention to details on how Nigeria can become a voice to be reckoned with in global maritime diplomacy, adding that Nigeria is committed to sustaining the momentum of recent achievements in safety and security within the maritime domain.

According to Mobereola, “My tenure will leverage existing relationships both locally and internationally to sustain the momentum in safety and security within the Nigerian maritime domain. The creation of the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry in Nigeria by Mr. President emphasizes the policy direction of this administration. Our goal is to ensure that Nigeria plays an active leading role not just in the region or the IMO, but in the global maritime space.”

Speaking further, he noted that his meeting with IMO technical staff was aimed at ensuring that NIMASA and the IMO are aligned before the next audit cycle.  “I discovered today that some critical information regarding our administration and the technical team at the IMO is obsolete, and we are reviewing it to update it immediately. We do not see the IMO audit as an examination but rather as a guide to assist Nigeria in achieving its potential; hence, my decision to get personally involved. We need to get the basics right”.

He also announced that the Honorable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola CON, has constituted a committee to address all areas of concern raised in the 2016 IMO audit report. This includes reviewing NIMASA’s enabling laws and effectively implementing a corrective action plan.