By Stephen Ubanna
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, under the close watch of Dayo Mobereola, appears to have gladdened the heart of industry stakeholders as it moves to develop a National Action Plan, NAP, on Maritime Standardisation in Nigeria.
Moberola, Director General of NIMASA, described by Adegboyega Oyetola, a former governor of Osun state and now minister of marine and blue economy, as being instrumental for taking Nigeria to global stage after 14, years of absence from the International Maritime Organisation, IMO, a United Nations, UN’s maritime agency, is set to set another record in the nation’s maritime sector.
As a prelude to achieving his pledged commitment to provide regulatory Leadership, technical coordination and stakeholder engagement required to successfully develop the nation’s maritime sector, he was said to have set the necessary machinery in motion to do so with hinderance.
Mobereola, NIMASA, Chief Executive Officer, CEO, escribed as a goat getter in maritime circles, who was said to have targeted to take the nation’s maritime industry to a level where it could be a hub in the West and Central African sub-regions and even compete with other maritime nations like the Asian country of China, Greece, Italy, Liberia, France, Canada, Brazil, India, Netherlands, and the United Arab Emirate, UAE, among others, may have informed why he has moved with his Management Team.
It was not surprising why the NIMASA CEO and his Management Team, have set the machinery in motion’’ to successfully develop and implement a National Action Plan on Maritime Standardisation in Nigeria.
The NIMASA, boss, who may have taken advantage of a National Stakeholders Workshop on the development of a National Maritime Standardisation Action Plan, in Lagos, the nation’s Commercial nerve centre, to speak out, had described that Workshop as a critical step in actualizing the Federal Government’ Blue Economy Project Objectives.
Until his exit from office in May 29, 2023, deceased former President Muhammadu Buhari, had spent the North American country of the United States, US, $195 million, to purchase 17 Interception Boats, I6 Armoured Vehicles for Patrol of the Coastal states, two Special Mission Vessels, two Special Mission aircrafts, for Surveillance of Nigerian Exclusive Economic Zone, EEZ, three Special Mission Helicopters for Search and Rescue Operations and four other Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
HLS International Systems and Technologies Limited, an Israeli firm, which was said to have been contracted by the then Buhari’s Administration in 2017, to supply the maritime security equipment domiciled in NIMASA, were said to have delivered the equipment without any complaint by the Authorities.
While the water security equipment is put under the management and maintenance of Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, led Nigerian Navy, NN, the air maritime security assets are controlled by the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, under the Leadership of Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke’s.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, may have continued from where deceased President Buhari had stopped for the actualization of the Deep Blue Project, with the signing into Law of the Coast Guard Bill, passed by the National Assembly, and which had resulted in the setting up of Nigerian Coast Guard as obtained in US. The appointment of Commodore Reginald Adoki, as Commander of Coast Guard, by the Naval Chief, Vice Admiral Abbas, was a clear indication that it would assist the maritime regulatory agency to strengthen its operational efficiency in Nigerian maritime domain, particular, trough enforcement of maritime security, safety and maritime regulations which had been lacking over the years.
Fatai Taye Adeyemi, an Engr. And Executive Director, Operations, who had represented the NIMASA, Director General at the National Stakeholders Workshop on the development of a National Maritime Standardisation Action Plan in Lagos, had underscored the significance of the IMO/Green Voyage2050 Project, which is a technical cooperation initiative designed ‘’to support developing countries to reduce emissions from ships in line with the 2023, IMO GHG Strategy.
A top official of NIMASA, had confirmed that implementing the phase I, of the IMO GHG Strategy, was launched in May 2019, and ran until 2023, delivering activities to support the development of legal and policy frameworks for reducing emissions from ocean going vessels in the 186 member countries of the Organisation.
It was said to have also helped in scoping out potential pilot projects, in the UN, maritime agency, through the Green Voyage Accelerator to demonstrate energy efficiency technologies and undertaking feasibility studies for their implementation.
The implementation of the GHG Strategy, phase II, was said to have begun in January 2024, and would be in operation until December, 2030, building upon the foundation that had been laid in phase I, with plans to scale up implementation of activities but with focus , this time around on pilot projects and technology demonstrations and the establishment of financial mechanism to support developing countries member nations of the IMO, to access financing for technology update.
Given an insider information on the National Action Plan for the GHG Strategy, being developed in Nigeria, a Council member of IMO, Engr. Adeyemi, noted that ‘’it reflects the country’s national realities, leverage on existing capabilities, to address identified gaps and align with broader economic and environmental priorities of the government.
Mobereola, the NIMASA, helmsman, who could not hide his feelings was said to have made the industry stakeholders Workshop on the development of a Maritime Decarbonizations Action Plan, that the transition from the phase I of the GHG to phase II, IMO/Green Voyage 20250, is not merely about compliance with international obligations but about safeguarding the nation’s maritime environment , protecting public health, strengthening the blue economy and ensuring that the country’s maritime industry remains competitive and future-ready.
Astrid Dispert, the Technical Manager of the IMO/Green Voyage 2050, Project, Technical Manager, may have used the opportunity provided by the Nigerian Workshop, to highlight the overarching objective of the GHG initiative which is advance a coherent and globally aligned regulatory framework to accelerate maritime decarbonization.
The IMO, technical expert, may have gladdened the heart of NIMASA officials, when she stated that the agency plays a pivotal role in driving the GHG Strategy project at the national level. She had said that the IMO/Green Voyage 2050 Project provides technical expertise and institutional support to member assist countries of the IMO, in developing and implementing National Action Plans that promote sustainable shipping practices, encourage investment in clean technologies and strengthen capacity for long-term emissions reductions.
Osagie Edward, a Deputy Director, and the maritime regulatory agency spokesperson had said that through the collaboration between Federal Government of Nigeria and the IMO /Green Voyage 2050 Project, Team, the government has shown that it is advancing deliberate steps towards the country’s maritime decarbonization, reinforcing its commitment to global climate goals and ensuring a cleaner, greener and more sustainable future for the nation’s maritime industry.
