A maritime expert, Shola Fadeyi, has applauded the director general of the Nigerian Marítime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for facilitating maritime safety, regulation and the promotion of Nigeria’s maritime sector.
In an article titled “NIMASA: Facilitating Progress of Marine and Blue Economy’s Sector,” Fadeyi said that Dr Mobereola’s policies have been positively impacting the nation’s economy.
According to Fadeyi, who is the managing director of Simofad Communications Ltd, publishers of Marine and Economy Magazine and Marine and Economy Online, the NIMASA boss is set to break a 27-year jinx by disbursing the over $700 million Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund (CVFF) for indigenous shipping companies to acquire vessels.
“Undoubtedly, the forward-looking measures which the Dr Dayo Mobereola-led management of NIMASA has adopted since it got into the saddle less than one and a half years ago have lent credence to the consensus in the maritime sector that its policies have been making a positive impact on the economy.
“The management has since then succeeded in boosting NIMASA’s global profile among maritime nations, facilitated Nigeria’s signing of International Maritime Organization (IMO) instruments of accession, strengthened Maritime Safety by synergising with security agencies, like the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), to combat illicit activities on Nigerian waters, and collaborated with the Nigerian Armed forces through the Deep Blue project.
“As the director general of NIMASA, he has promoted local shipping by adding impetus to cabotage enforcement and local content compliance, supporting capacity building, through its commitment to developing the skills and expertise of Nigerian seafarers and industry professionals and through its streamlining the process for indigenous ship-owners to access and disburse the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF).
“Mobereola’s management has also promoted Inclusivity within NIMASA, working to ensure that the agency reflects the diversity of the maritime industry and the country as a whole, recognising and applauding Women’s contribution in the sector as well as promoting the success of the Marine and Blue Economy sector.”
“It was thus in recognition of NIMASA’s commitment to enhancing service standards, improving transparency, ensuring efficiency in its operations, facilitating maritime safety, regulation, and the promotion of Nigeria’s maritime sector, that NIMASA recently received the SERVICOM Award for excellent service delivery, usually given to government agncies that have excelled in these areas.”
“A feat that is very commendable for Mobereola- led management is that within the short period of its tenure, it is already set to break a 27 – year jinx by securing approval from President Tinubu, with the support of the minister of marine and blue economy to disburse, very soon, the over $ 700 million Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund (CVFF), for indigenous shipping companies to acquire vessels.
“This disbursement, which he has ensured would be at a single-digit interest rate, to make it easy for beneficiaries to pay back, will empower indigenous ship owners to compete favourably, boost local content in the maritime sector, create employment opportunities for Nigerian seafarers, and strengthen ancillary maritime services.”
Fadeyi also disclosed that Dr Mobereola, with the minister’s approval, has resolved to end the execution of the waiver clause enshrined in the Cabotage Act.
He also disclosed that NIMASA is implementing a Public Sector Cargo Support Programme to create a captive freight market for local carriers and reduce the dominance of foreign shipping lines in Nigeria’s seaborne trade.
“The NIMASA boss has also increased the number of Primary Lending Institutions (PLIs) and introduced transparency to the scheme. Also, to ensure that the indigenous shipping companies benefit from the provisions of the Inland and Coastal Shipping Act, otherwise known as Cabotage Act of 2003, which allows them to operate their vessels on the Nigerian coastal waters, he has continued to work to ensure that the Bill for the review of the Act, which has been in the National Assembly is passed into law for the shipping companies to reap from it maximally.
“It was even more gratifying that Mobereola with the approval of the minister of marine and blue economy has resolved to end the execution of the waiver clause, enshrined in the Cabotage Act, through which foreign vessels take up the contracts that ought to have been executed by the local shipping companies, due to the need for the local carriers to function actively in coastal shipping.”
“To boost the capacity of indigenous carriers, the agency is also implementing a Public Sector Cargo Support Programme, aimed at creating a captive freight market for local carriers and reducing the dominance of foreign shipping lines in Nigeria’s seaborne trade. His management has likewise continued to keep alive the federal government’s plan to launch a national shipping carrier through a public-private partnership (PPP) to boost Nigeria’s influence in the regional maritime sector.”
“Mobereola’s management has ensured that maritime security is significantly enhanced with the full deployment of the Deep Blue Project assets within the Nigerian Continental Shelf, having reviewed the Deep Blue Project agreement with the Nigerian Navy, reaffirmed NIMASA’s commitment to sustain the scheme, and emphasise its importance in suppressing maritime security challenges in Nigeria.
“The Deep Blue Project comprises air, sea and land sophisticated assets, which were procured by the federal government, while NIMASA DG has had been able to boost the impact of the project on the nation’s maritime security architecture, having expanded the scope of the scheme to cover Nigeria’s maritime territory, including the newly declared maritime boundary.”
“Under Mobereola as DG, the Deep Blue Project, coupled with the ongoing implementation of the anti-piracy law, has continued to contribute immensely to the significant reduction in piracy and other maritime crimes, thus enhancing safety and security on Nigerian waters.”
“Little wonder that the Mobereola-led management has been able to sustain the achievement of zero piracy incidence on Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea, for the past three years, with the combined efforts of all key players.”
“Thus, considering its achievements so far within a relatively short period in office, it is expected that the Mobereola–led management would make NIMASA have a more positive impact on the maritime sector and the economy in the years ahead.”
