By Stephen Ubanna
Ahead of the International Maritime Organization, IMO, Council, elections in November and December, 2025, the Nigerian Maritim and Safety Agency, NIMAS, under the close watch of Dayo Mobereola, expects 100% compliance of the International Ships and Ports Facility Security, ISPS, Code by industry operators.
the ISPS Code of the IMO, according to an insider contains a set of measures for achieving international security and also prescribes responsibilities to relevant Government Agencies, shipping companies and seafarers operating at seaports in maritime nations the world-over.
Given the responsibilities of NIMASA, in the implementation of the ISPS Code at the nation’s seaports may have informed why past and present Director General of the maritime Regulatory agency, Mobereola, had repeatedly warned port facility operators to comply with the ISPS, Code or face sanction.
Given that the Maritime Regulatory agency will not want any shipping company or maritime operator to play a spoiler’s role in its bid to win the IMO Category C, Council Seat, appears t have emboldened the agency officials to take the implementation of the ISPS Code seriously. The recent shutdown of ShellPlux and TDMK Terminals, both located in Lagos, the nation’s Commercial nerve center speaks volume.
The renewed enforcement of the ISPS Code, according to an informed source follows persistent non-compliance by the Terminal operators with the provisions of the IMO ISPS Code, despite several warnings. According to a top official of the agency, the sanction f the two terminals at Apapa port aligns with global best practices and section 79.f, of the ISPS Code Implementation Regulations, 2014, which The Value News was informed mandates the closure of any facility contravenes the Code for over three Calendar months of its operations at the ports. Nigeria’s determination to win the 2025, Council Seat which it had lost consecutively between 2017 and 2022, may have informed why Mobereola, the NIMASA Director General, had sounded it loud and clear of the agency’s Commitment of ‘’safeguarding the nation’s maritime domain’’.
Speaking on the closure of ShellPlux and TDMK facilities located in Lagos recently, Mobereola who could not his feelings had said: Our primary goal is to enforce safety and security practices across Nigerian seaports and jetties. The NIMASA, Director agency had said that the agency collaboration with the North American country of the United States, US, Coast Guard to lift the conditions of entry on vessels into Nigeria from other maritime nations, as Nigeria cannot afford lapses that would jeopardize the country’s economic progress.
Mobereola, the NIMASA, Chief Executive Officer, CEO, who has been under intense pressure to reopen the shutdown Terminals, may have sent a message to the officials of the Terminals not to be in a hurry to get the facilities reopened as it could only be reopened ‘’once all compliance requirements are satisfactorily met ‘’, acknowledging their important role in service delivery and trade facilitation at the nation’s seaports.
He may have sent a message to the facilities openers that it is no longer going to be business as usual as Adegboyega Oyega, Oyetola, a former governor of Osun and now minister of marine and blue economy is committed ‘’to enhanced sustainable trade facilitation for the nation’s maritime sector in a safe and conducive environment’’.
Although, NIMASA, CEO, who would not tolerate the continued violation of the ISPS Code, by operators, had set examples with ShellPlux and TDMK Facilities but officials of TDMK, particular, would not take it as the Terminal operator which had said that does not wish to escalate the matter in order to defend its operational integrity has vowed to cooperate with industry stakeholders in the atmosphere of mutual respect and transparency toward enhancing the nation’s maritime domain in line with global best practices.
The Terminal operator, which integrity is at stake had issued a statement on Friday, July 19, 2025, stating that ‘’it remains committed to the nation’s maritime security and operational standards ‘’. The company’s Management Team had described the move by Mobereola led NIMASA, to close down its facility at Apapa as a result of mischaracterization of its compliance to the agency security control, noting that the enforcement was initiated before the re-inspection of its security infrastructure could be carried out’’.
The firm had said that contrary to the claims of NIMASA, championing Nigeria’s Campaign to secure enough votes for the upcoming IMO council election, TDMK, has never at any time deliberately disregarded compliance directives, or the agency security controls at the nation’s seaports. But has acknowledged the role of the agency as the constituted Authority in implementing the ISPS Code in Nigeria.
The firm was said to have made series of efforts in the last couple of months to constructively engage officials of NIMASA to address the identified lapses in its operations, noting that it has invested significantly, which many believes runs into millions of US dollars in security infrastructure over the past six months.
It was not surprising why the company could beat its chest that it is committed to all statutory requirements in the recent time under the ISPS Code, urging Mobereola, the NIMASA, CEO, to set up a team to conduct an immediate re-valuation of its facility with a view to reopening the Terminal and restoring formal operations.
Indeed, worried by the huge amount being lost by the Terminal operator due the closure of its facility by NIMASA may have informed why the Company, which handles critical cargo for domestic and other markets in the West and African sub-regions fears that that the NIMASA’s action could disrupt the supply chains and affect the country’s trade facilitation drive and the Nigerian Customs revenue collection which had been on the rise in the recent months.
