By Stephen Ubanna
Barely four months to the upcoming International Maritime Organization, IMO, to elect new Council members for the 2026/2027, biennium, to supervise the workload of the London, United Kingdon, UK, based Organization, there are indications that the Asian country of China, France and Italy and several other maritime nations in the West and Central African subregions , including some countries in the East African subregion were said to have thrown their weight on Nigeria to ensure that its elected to the 40 member Council.
The IMO 40-member Council Seat are spread into three major Categories. The category A of the IMO Council, comprises of 10 states with the largest interest in providing international shipping services comprising of China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Liberia, an African country, Norway, Panama, the Republic of Korea, UK and the North America country of the United States, US. While the Category B, comprises of other States with the largest interest in international seaborne trade, like Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India and Kingdon of the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Arab in Group, UAE.
Other maritime nations which do not qualify to be elected into the IMO Category A or B, Council Seat are said to be elected into the 20- member Category C, Council Seat, which Nigeria, one of the West African nations is currently bidding for.
Maritime nations, across the global economy elected into the IMO Category C, Council Seat are those which have ‘’special interests in maritime transport or Navigation’’ and whose election to the council, according to informed Council members in categories A and B, will ensure adequate representation of all other major geographical areas of the world.
For the 2024/205 biennium, of the 20 elected Council members, to the IMO Category C, Council Seat, Egypt, Morocco and Kenya, all countries from the African Continent were said to haven elected into the Council.
Given that Nigeria had lost the IMO Category C, election three times between 2011 and 2019, may have informed why Adegboyga Oyetola, a former governor of Osun state and minister of marine and blue economy, and the inter-ministerial Committee, which he had set up, headed by Dayo Mobereola, Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, to promote Nigeria’s election to the Council had hit the ground running.
Taking into consideration Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with other maritime nations both from the developed and developing economies and the operational strategies of the maritime nations may have guided the Nigeria team in soliciting for votes in the upcoming IMO, Council elections in London, UK.
Given the importance attached to the IMO Council elections may have informed why the former Osun state governor and the inter-ministerial Committee members had come smoking at anygiven international forum within and outside the African Continent as they had taken up Nigeria’s bid for the IMO Council Seat, on a – one- on-one approach with Representatives from other maritime nations at such Conferences.
Many believes that ever since Nigeria, flaged off its Campaign for election to the IMO Category C, Council Seat, for 2026/2027, biennium, at the London Headquarters, last June, the support from the Council members in the Categories A and B, described as the exclusive group, for the big time maritime nations and several other maritime nations from Europe and other parts of the world have been very encouraging, thus brightening Nigerian chances of getting back to the IMO governing Council which it had lost over the years.
The latest of the maritime nations, in the African Continent that had come out openly to support Nigeria’s bid for the IMO Council Seat for the 2026/27 biennium, without throwing its weight on Kenya, which is currently a member of the IMO Category C, was the United Republic of Tanzania, described in maritime circles as a major, diplomatic breakthrough and endorsement.
The Tanzania government declaration of support for Nigeria’s IMO Council bid was said to have been made by Hon. Selestine Gervas Kakele, the Tanzanian High Commissioner to Nigeria, during a recent courtesy visit to the Minister Oyetola, in his office at Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
The Tanzania envoy, Kakele , who was id to have been accompanied by Allen Kulzilwa, minister Plenipotentiary , minister Counsellor, Philbert Peter and other top officials of the country’s maritime sector on the visit to Nigeria may have gladdened the heart of the Nigerian minister of marine and blue economy when he reaffirmed the East African’s commitment ‘’to fostering strategic maritime cooperation with Nigeria’’, describing both maritime nations as natural partners with shared aspirations for maritime development.
The Tanzanian High Commissioner, who could not his feelings had said that that the country’s support for Nigeria’s IMO Council bid for the 2026/27, biennium, was informed by the West African country’s previous backing of Tanzania’s bid for the Council Seat but also from mutual respect and a shared vision for Africa’s voice on the global maritime state, which Kenya, may not have succeeded in effectively representing the African maritime interests in the global maritime stage.
Hon, Makele, may have spoken the mind of President Rais wa Jamhuri ya Muungano, when he expressed Tanzania’s eagerness ‘’to tap into Nigeria’s experience in developing its marine and blue economy sector ‘’.
He was said to have revealed the Tanzania’s government plans to dispatch a team of the country’s maritime experts to Nigeria in the coming months ‘’to under study key government agencies under the ministry of marine and blue economy’’ He may have alluded to such key maritime agencies like NIMASA, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC and the Nigerian Inland Water Ways Authority, NIWA.
In his apparent response to the Tanzania’s High Commissioner’s remarks, minister Oyetola, who had welcomed the Tanzania’s envoy and his entourage to his Abuja office had expressed deep appreciation for Tanzania’s backing for Nigeria’s bid for the IMO Council bid, stressing that Nigeria’s election into the 40-man Council would not only ‘’serve the 54 African interests but would also bolster Africa’s collective influence in Internationational maritime governance’’.
The Nigerian minister of marine and blue economy was emphatic: A seat for Nigeria at the IMO Council Headquarters in London, UK, would give Africa a voice in the global maritime stage’’. He was said to have stated that with Nigeria’s election into the IMO Council for the 2026/27. Biennium, would give the African maritime nations the ample opportunity ‘’to collectively advocate for safer shipping, sustainable marine resources, and fairer maritime trade practices across the African Continent.
An appreciative minister Oyetola, had said that Nigeria’s vast coastline, dynamic port system,and active maritime policies makes the nation a worthy representative of Africa on the global maritime stage.
The Nigeria minister was said to have also highlighted the numerous initiatives being undertaken by the ministry of marine and blue economy under his leadership including efforts ‘’to establish a National Shipping Line through a public-private partnership framework. He did not stop there.
The minister was said to have also reiterated Nigeria’s commitment ‘’to enhancing intra-African maritime trade, especially under the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA. ‘’We believe the future of Africa’s economic resilience lies in maritime collaboration’’, he had remarked, noting that as the people of the Continent unlock the full potential of the blue economy, ‘’there is enormous value in partnerships like the one Nigeria is currently building with Tanzania.
Minister Oyetola, may have given the Tanzania delegation a cause to cheer when he gave his words that the proposed expert delegation to Nigeria to under study the key agencies in the ministry are welcome, assuring team that ‘’the ministry will provide all the necessary support to ensure a productive engagement in Nigeria’’.
The minister was said to have also pledged ‘’to encourage Nigerian investors to consider the immense opportunities in Tanzania maritime sectors to do business in the country while also calling on the Tanzania investors Nigeria’s marine and blue economy sector.
The Tanzania delegation to Nigeria which was said to have included Kuzilwa, minister plenipotentiary and Peter, minister Counsellor and others were said to have attended the closed door high profile meeting with the Nigerian team comprising of Olufemi Oloruntola, Permanent Secretary in the ministry of marine and blue economy, Babatunde Bombata, Director of Maritime Safety and Security, Mercy Ilori, Director of Maritime Services, and Prof. Busayo Fakinlede, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on marine and blue economy to rob minds on areas of collaboration.
The Nigeria meeting may have given an insight for other future meetings between the two African maritime nations as they were said to have agreed ‘’to deepen maritime collaboration’’ towards shared progress in Africa’s evolving marine and blue economy landscape.
