By Stehen Ubanna
For years, the 186- member nations of the International Maritime Organisation, IMO, a maritime regulatory agency of the of the United Nations UN, including Nigeria, had been participating in the affairs of the global maritime agency, at the decision level, without ratifying its Instruments.
In spite of the fact that Nigeria was among the countries that had not ratified most of the Instruments of the global maritime agency but it had severally contested the IMO Category C, Council C, Seat, which was supposed to accommodate 20 States which have special interests in maritime transport and navigation.
Indeed, Nigeria had contested the IMO Council Seat between 2011 and 223, but lost out and making another attempt to contest for the council Seat where crucial decisions regarding international maritime shipping and trade are made this 2025.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, may have realized that the inability of past Administrations to go ahead in signing the IMO instruments, let alone implement its provisions, in nation’s maritime domain may have worked against the country’s re-election into the council that he had refused to follow foot step of his predecessors.
This is evident going by his signing of IMO six Conventions, which were said to have been officially deposited in the Organisation’s London, United Kingdom, UK, Headquarters, which serves as a repository for such instruments.
By signing the IMO instruments, the Nigerian President had sent a message to Arsenio Dominguez, the IMO, Secretary Geneal, that ‘’the Nigeria maritime domain would be guided by the 1988 protocol for the suppression of Unlawful Acts’’ against the Safety of Fixed Platforms on Continental Shelf, the Instrument of Accession of the International Convention Standards of Training, Certification, and Watch-Keeping for Fishing Personnel, 1995 in its waters.
He did not stop there. He was said to have also made the IMO, Leadership, to understand, through degboyega Oyetola, a former governor of Osun state and now minister of marine and blue economy, that by signing the Instrument of Accession of the Protocol relating to Intervention on the High Seas in cases of Pollution by Substances other than Oil, 1973 as amended, Intervention Protocol, that Nigeria is fully prepared to implement all the provisions of the various Conventions of the IMO.
True to his words, the signing some of the IMO instruments, that had been deposited at the London, Headquarters, between 2024, and now, may have given the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, under the Leadership of Dayo Mobereola, an ample opportunity to go ahead and implement the provisions of the ratified Conventions.
Indeed, President Tinubu Leadership and Commitment to the nation’s maritime industry alongside minister Oyetola, appears to have won the heart of Dominguez, the IMO, Secretary General, who had described ‘’Nigeria as a strong example of maritime Leadership which had always played an important and active role within IMO’’.
Without sounding immodest, Dominguez, had confirmed that ‘’Nigeria contributes meaningfully to the Organisation’s work and the advancement of global maritime governance’’, fueling speculations making the rounds that if it is within the capacity of the IMO. Secretary General, to nominate the 20 maritime nations that should be in the Category C, Council Seat, Nigeria, would have secured one of the slots automatically but the country like other maritime nations would have to go through the normal Council election process to qualify for the Seat.
Dominguez, going by his body language and content of his commendation Letter to Mobereola, the NIMASA, helmsman, had stated categorically that ‘’Nigeria had achieved so much in its maritime sector ‘’, which many believes should make Nigeria win overwhelming votes in the upcoming IMO Council election in London to fully benefit from ‘’the IMO, technical assistance, manpower and institutional development as well as political influence’’.
The IMO, Secretary General, who has admiration for the former Osun state governor as well, for his personal commitment ‘’to strengthening Nigeria’s maritime and the actualization of the Deep Blue project and his strong support for the work of the IMO, may not have changed his world-view about Nigeria as a ‘’maritime performing nation’’.
He had alluded to the significant progress that had been made in the nation’s maritime sector over the last couple of years, particular the development of the new building of maritime Studies at the University of Lagos, as well as the advances achieved through the Deep Blue Project.
Dominguez, the IMO, Chief, could beat his chest that minister Oyetola could achieve that much in Nigeria’s maritime domain, within a short time ahead of other maritime nations in the West and Central African subregions because of his ‘leadership in promoting collaboration on decarbonization and the transition to greener shipping’’.
T, may have gladdened the hearts of Tinubu and minister Oyetola, as he commended Nigeria ‘’for ‘’effectively strengthening its maritime Administration and advancing the implementation of IMO instruments’’.
An elated Dominguez, who could not hide his feelings based on what he saw on ground in Nigeria during his recent visit, was said to have unbared his feelings in a letter dated, October 9, 2025, to Mobereola, the NIMASA, Director General and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, commending him and his Management Team for their impressive efforts in the e execution of the multi-million Deep Blue Project.
Many believe that multi-billion -naira project had impacted positively ‘’ in Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea region, in reducing cases of piracy’’. Mobereola the NIMASA, CEO, had confirmed that for the last three years there had not been any case of piracy in Nigerian waters, let alone the Gulf of Guina.
There is no gain saying the fact that the ratification of the six IMO instruments by President Tinubu , that are currently being implemented by NIMASA, was said to have further reassured the member states of the IMO, and other global maritime stakeholders, particular, the shipowners, both foreign and locals, of ‘’Nigeria’s resolve and determination to be among the leading members of the decision -making maritime body of the UN, maritime agency, this 2025.
Hear Dominguez, the IMO, Chief, ‘’I was particularly pleased to see first-hand the important and active work being undertaken by NIMASA’’ under the Leadership of Mobereola, ‘’to strengthen the country’s maritime administration and to advance the effective implementation of IMO instructions’’ that had signed and deposited at the Headquarters.
The IMO, boss, may have given Mobereola, the NMASA, CEO, a cause to be cheery when he declared ‘’your agency’s efforts to advance maritime safety, security and environmental protection clearly demonstrate Nigeria’s commitment to upholding international standards and supporting the objectives of the IMO’’.
He had had described the Nigerian Deep Blue Project, initiated by late former President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration, in which the government had spent the North American country of the United States, US, $195 million to contract the Israeli security firm, HLSI Security Systems and Technologies, to procure and supply 16 Coastal Patrol Vessels, 17 Interception Boasts, Two Special Mission Vessela, Two Special Mission aircrafts for Surveillance of Nigeria Exclusive Economic Zone, EEZ, three helicopters and four unmanned Aerial Vehicles , on strategies for maritime domain awareness and intra-agency collaboration to become a reality.
Given the impressive performance of Mobereola and his Management Team, in strengthening the nation’s maritime sector , under the supervision of the ministry of marine and blue economy,, that it could compete with other maritime nations in different parts of the world like the US, China, South Kora , Singapore and Philippines may have informed why Dminiguez, the IMO Secretary General, had given his words of ‘’IMO continued collaboration with the NIMASA , in advancing shared goals for a safe, secure and sustainable maritime sector’’.
