Maritime
NIMASA committed to reforming Nigerian Ship Registry — Dakuku Peterside
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) says the agency is taking constructive steps in ship registry aimed at maintaining Nigeria’s influence international trade.
The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dakuku Peterside, said this during the Nigerian Ship Registry Interactive Forum with ship owners held on Tuesday in Lagos. Highlighting that Ship Registry gives a ship a nationality, a flag and an identity.
The theme of the forum was : “ Repositioning The Nigerian Ship Registry for Sustainable Growth’’.
He said:“This interactive forum with ship owners is to bring to them up-to-date with the ongoing reforms in the Nigerian Ship Registry.
“The present management began the drive to restructure the Nigerian Ship Registry by inaugurating a committee on the review of the activities and operations of the Nigerian Ship Registration Office on Feb. 27, 2018.
“Part of the Terms of Reference given to the committee were to examine the status of the Ship Registry in line with international best standards and recommend requisite improvements, of which a report was submitted in 2019 with far reaching recommendations grouped into short, medium and long term measures.
“Immediately after, the Implementation Monitoring Committee was inaugurated on Aug. 20, 2019 to chart a course for the implementation of the recommendations.
“Our goal as a maritime safety administration is to create a world class Ship Registry which will be attractive to shipowners with the aim of maintaining the influence of Nigeria in evolving international commercial and regulatory environment for shipping”.
According to him, Nigeria currently operates a Closed Registry with about 2,725 active vessels of various capacity.
He added that in 2019, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) ranked the Nigerian Ship Registry number 2 in Africa after Liberia (which operates an Open Registry) and 46 in the world.
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Peterside noted that the agency’s desire was to have Nigerian flag vessels involved in international commercial trade and the reason efforts were being made to build capacity and ensure that Nigerians acquire high capacity vessels.
He said that it would ensure the country not only be involved in the lifting of its hydrocarbons but carry its cargos to other parts of the world.
“ Nigeria operates a closed ship registry, however, most renowned ship registries in the world such as the UK Ship Register, today maintain a Second or International Register.
“This is to attract tonnage whilst using the Closed Register to develop indigenous capacity and for domestic trade similar to our cabotage regime.
“Nigeria having a second or international register will help grow the country’s fleet and input our footprints in international commercial trade,” Peterside said.
The NIMASA D-G noted that in 2018/19, the agency attracted into its register two high index capacity vessels – “Egina FPSO” and “MT Ultimate”.
He said that there was no doubt that a lot more could be done to assist Nigerians in acquiring vessels and that was why the agency was making efforts to disburse the Cabotage Vessels Finance Fund (CVFF).
He disclosed that the agency was also partnering with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to drive capacity in the industry.
He listed the constructive steps taken by the agency in the Ship Registry to include audit of register of Nigerian vessels, redesign and production of new ship registry certificate and automation of the ship registry.
Others include upgrade of the ship registry filling facility, review of ship registration guideline, and ISO 9001: 2015 certification.
Peterside also urged ship owners to keep their eyes firmly fixed on the objective of building a world class Ship Registry and hoped to rely on their guidance, experience, industry know-how and cooperation to endow the desperately needed credence and international respect for the Nigerian Flag.
He encouraged them to fly and promote the Nigerian Flag.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Ship Registry Committee, Mr Emmanuel Ilori, urged NIMASA to set clear timelines for the administative process of ship registration and put in place clear and precise change in flag instructions.
Ilori, an engineer, also advised the agency to ensure that qualified tonnage measures were employed to serve in the safety department.
He commended the agency’s drive to enshrine full automation of all ship registration processes, revealing that it was one of the recommendations of the Ship Registry Review committee.
…EFCC hands over N104.1m recovered fund to the Niger Govt
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) Special Night Gang Patrol Team has apprehended the driver of a heavily loaded truck after crushing his motor boy to death.
The statement was signed by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA, Mr Adebayo Taofiq.
Bakare-Oki said the incident took place at the Ogolonto Traffic Light Intersection, inward Ikorodu Roundabout.
“The ghastly incident occurred at approximately 11.00 p.m., when LASTMA’s vigilant night-duty personnel, who were on a routine patrol for traffic regulation and monitoring within the Ikorodu corridor, swiftly intervened upon witnessing the horrific scene.”
“Second preliminary findings from the joint security investigation revealed that the deceased motor boy had alighted from the moving loaded truck.”
“He alighted to assist the driver in stabilising the truck by placing a wooden plank beneath its tyres, as the braking mechanism of the vehicle was reportedly defective.”
“In the course of this effort, the unfortunate motor boy slipped and fell beneath the rear tyres, which ran over him, resulting in his instantaneous and tragic death,” he said.
The GM said LASTMA officers cordoned off the accident scene to forestall further chaos.
He said officers ensured the safety of other road users, while operatives of the Ipakodo Police Division were swiftly contacted and arrived at the scene to take over the case.
“The apprehended truck driver was formally handed over to the police for further interrogation and investigation.”
“The remains of the deceased were conveyed by police operatives to the General Hospital, Ikorodu, for proper deposition, “ he said.
Bakare-Oki expressed profound grief over the sad occurrence and conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
He also admonished truck drivers and commercial transport operators to undertake regular mechanical inspections of their vehicles, particularly the braking systems, before setting out on any journey.
“Mechanical negligence and poor vehicle maintenance pose severe risks, not only to the operators themselves, but also to the lives of innocent road users,” the manager said.
In another development, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has handed over the sum of ₦104,091,162.46 to the Niger State Government.
Its Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
According to him, the official handover took place on Wednesday at the EFCC’s Office in Ilorin.
Oyewale said that the development was sequel to the successful recovery of the funds from Kiara Rice Mills Limited, located in Kpatsuwa Village, Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.
”The recovered sum represents the company’s unremitted tax liabilities accrued between 2021 and 2024.”
”The commission, in February, received intelligence indicating that the multi-billion-naira company had failed to remit its full tax obligations, in spite of operating profitably within the state.”
He said that the act was a clear violation of both federal tax laws and Niger State revenue regulations.
”Upon investigation by the Foreign Exchange Malpractice Section of the EFCC, the commission confirmed the infractions and secured full recovery of the outstanding taxes.”
Speaking during the presentation ceremony, the EFCC Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, reaffirmed the commission’s resolve to ensure that public funds are duly accounted for and returned to legitimate owners.
He was represented by the Ilorin Zonal Director, Commander of the EFCC, Dr Ansalem Ozioko.
“The function of the EFCC is to prevent, investigate, and prosecute economic and financial crimes, recover what was stolen, and return it to the rightful owners.”
”That is exactly what we are doing here today,” Olukoyede said.
He called for sustained collaboration between the Niger Government and the EFCC, emphasising the need for transparency, accountability, and integrity in governance.
“We urge you to continue partnering with the Commission and to be ambassadors of the EFCC by reporting any act that fails the integrity test,” he said.
Alhaji Aminu Bawa, Group Head of Tax Operations at the Niger State Internal Revenue Service, received the fund on behalf of the Niger State Government.
Bawa commended the EFCC for its diligence and professionalism.
“On behalf of the Niger State Government, I wish to express our sincere appreciation to the Commission for this commendable recovery effort.”
”This development will have a direct and positive impact on the lives of our people,” he said.
He said that the recovered sum would be credited into the state government’s account and deployed for developmental projects across Niger State.
The Zonal Coordinator, Zone A, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Assistant Comptroller-General Mohammed Babandede, says the service has launched a One-Stop-Shop (OSS) system.
He said the system would streamline interventions and boost trade facilitation at Nigeria’s seaports.
Babandede made this known during the launch of the One-Stop-Shop held in Apapa, Lagos, on Thursday.
He described the platform as a centralised framework designed to simplify interventions on flagged or non-compliant declarations.
According to him, the platform aims to enhance trade facilitation across Nigeria’s busiest ports and reduce cargo dwell time to an average of 48 hours per shipment.
He said the OSS represented a smarter, technology-driven approach to cargo clearance that would improve efficiency, transparency, and inter-agency collaboration.
“The OSS brings all relevant customs units under one operational roof, allowing joint review, examination, and decision-making at a single point of contact,” he said.
Babandede explained that the platform would complement the B’Odogwu digital system, enabling real-time data sharing, centralised documentation, analytical reporting, and seamless trader engagement through the Customs portal.
He added that the innovation was expected to reduce cargo dwell time to about 48 hours per shipment, cut demurrage costs, and foster accountability in port operations.
He said the OSS would eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks that often delay cargo release, ensuring that every flagged declaration is handled transparently and collaboratively.
Babandede commended the NCS-ICT team for developing the platform, describing it as a milestone in the service’s modernisation drive.
He noted that the success of the OSS would rely on the integrity of its implementation.
The Assistant Comptroller-General urged customs officials and the trading community to efficiently utilise the process.
He said the implementation of the OSS reinforced Customs’ commitment to strengthening trade for national growth through technology-driven reforms in line with global best practices.
The event attracted key port stakeholders, including Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba of Apapa Command and Comptroller Frank Onyeka of Tin-Can Island Port.
Also present were Comptroller Peter Ntadi of Western Marine Command, terminal operators, licensed customs agents, brokers, and representatives of freight forwarder associations.
Port users hailed the initiative as a welcome innovation to enhance trade facilitation and improve port operations.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kebbi Area Command, in partnership with the Nigerian Army (NA), has strengthened ties with Beninese Customs to boost border security and intelligence sharing along the Nigeria-Benin Republic corridor.
The development followed a working visit by a delegation from the Kebbi Command to Tsamiya/Sebgana border post, Bagudo Local Government Area, on Thursday.
The delegation, led by the Customs Area Controller in Kebbi, Mahmoud Matawalle-Ibrahim, was accompanied by the Commanding Officer, 1 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Maj. Shola Elijah-Moses.
In his remarks, Matawalle-Ibrahim emphasised the importance of synergy and cooperation between security agencies of both countries to effectively secure the shared border and foster mutual trust.
He said security remained a collective responsibility, adding that the visit was aimed at strengthening cross-border collaboration and promoting intelligence sharing for improved border management.
Responding, the Comptroller of Customs, Wara Border, Benin Republic, Arouna Dramane, commended the initiative, describing it as a welcome development.
He conducted the delegation around the facilities and assured continued partnership with the NCS.
Dramane reaffirmed the commitment of the Benin Republic to work together in promoting peace, trade facilitation, and security along the borders of the two countries.
In a related development, the delegation visited the Maje community in Bagudo LGA, where DSC Sadiq Tahir-Muhammad was killed in a recent attack, to commiserate with men of the command and the community.
Sadiq-Tahir was killed by suspected bandits on Nov. 8, while on duty at the Maje axis.
Matawalle-Ibrahim prayed for the repose of the soul of the deceased and urged officers to remain vigilant in the discharge of their duties.
The controller further advised personnel to maintain synergy with sister security agencies and foster cordial relations with their host communities.
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