Nigeria Waters Records 4 Years Without Piracy — NIMASA

Nigeria has gone four consecutive years without recording a piracy incident, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has said.

The agency attributed the development to sustained efforts to strengthen maritime safety and security, including the enactment and implementation of the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act.

Speaking at the Abuja International Trade Fair, Mrs Nneka Obiano, the representative of the director-general of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola said the country’s progress in tackling piracy had also helped improve confidence in Nigeria’s maritime environment.

She said Nigeria had previously been regarded as one of the major piracy hotspots in the Gulf of Guinea, a situation that affected vessel traffic, investment and the movement of goods and services.

According to her, the absence of a specific legal framework for prosecuting piracy had been a major challenge until the enactment of the SPOMO Act in 2019.

She said the first successful prosecution of pirates under the law between 2021 and 2022 demonstrated Nigeria’s determination to confront maritime crimes through legal and institutional measures.

“Some of us may well be aware of the time in the past when the Gulf of Guinea was regarded as the piracy hotspot of the world,” she said.

Obiano explained that the security situation had implications for the economy, as vessel traffic was diverted to neighbouring countries while investment and the movement of goods and services were affected.

She said the introduction of the SPOMO Act changed the situation by providing a legal framework for prosecuting piracy and other maritime offences.

She added that Nigeria’s experience had attracted attention from other countries in the Gulf of Guinea, with Cameroon and Ghana subsequently taking steps to strengthen their own legal frameworks against piracy.

Earlier, the head of NIMASA Abuja Zonal Office, Buba Umar said the agency’s participation in the trade fair was aimed at increasing public awareness of its regulatory responsibilities and the opportunities available in the maritime sector.

Umar said Nigeria remained a maritime nation with significant potential for trade, investment, employment generation and economic diversification.

He said NIMASA would continue to work with stakeholders to promote maritime safety, security, environmental responsibility and sustainable development of the sector.

He urged visitors to engage NIMASA officials at the agency’s exhibition stand and seek information on opportunities and activities within the maritime industry.

Umar said the agency’s presence at the trade fair was part of efforts to strengthen engagement with the business community, policymakers, entrepreneurs and members of the public.