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Why Kenya has been preferred candidate for IMO category C ahead of Nigeria

President Uhuru Kenyatta tours the modern shipyard at the Mtongwe Navy base in Mombasa after commissioning it on December 17, 2021

Eyewitness reporter

Kenya has continued to develop its maritime infrastructure to position itself in the global maritime industry.

This has given the East African country an edge over Nigeria in the International Maritime Organisation(IMO) where it has consistently beaten Nigeria to the category C seat.

In 2019, Nigeria lost the seat by one vote to Kenya.

In the just-concluded 2021 edition of the IMO elections in London, while Nigeria failed in its sixth attempt to clinch the seat, Kenya retained the diadem in the council elections.

What makes Kenya thick in maritime Industry.

The East African country has continued to develop indigenous capacity in shipbuilding and repairs.

Last week, the country unveiled the largest shipyard in sub-Saharan Africa

The modern shipyard was located at the Mtongwe Navy base in Mombasa, making her the first country in sub-Saharan Africa with such a facility.

Kenya Shipyards Ltd (KSL) has the capacity to handle vessels of more than 4,000 tonnes and 150 metres and will boost the East African country’s status as a maritime hub.

The new facility has the longest slipway, a platform on which ships are secured and winched out of the water into a working area for construction, repair, refitting and maintenance.

The modern shipyard has two ship-building hangers, one 150 metres long and 30 metres high and a smaller one 120 metres long, 20 metres high and 13 metres wide.

President Uhuru Kenyatta officially opened the facility as Kenya eyes the lucrative shipbuilding and repair business.

The Navy project in Mtongwe gives Kenya a competitive advantage in shipbuilding and maritime engineering in eastern and central Africa, with the inauguration of a marine academy in Kisumu helping to boost human resource training for sustainable growth of the industry.

Certified ship welders

KSL will for the first time in Kenya’s history employ its own certified ship welders, which is part of the Kenyan government’s agenda to create over 10,000 jobs per year in the maritime sector, considering all ship welders in Kenya are foreign.

“In the project, Kenya, which owns about 17 military ships, seeks to save $6,800 million per vessel in maintenance fees every 10 years considering that since independence, all Kenyan ships have been serviced and maintained overseas, either in Spain or Netherlands.

Every ship has a lifespan of 10-15 years before a full makeover,” says a notice from the Kenya Defence Forces.

KSL is the anchor industry for the blue economy and will provide civil and modular infrastructure workshops, slipways, jetties, bridges and others required to support the maritime industry.

Kenya has already formed a full department on the national blue economy, which will require specialised vessels such as deep-sea fishing in the exclusive economic zone, where vast untapped marine fisheries resources are found.

Securing Kenya’s marine assets requires well-equipped vessels and KSL will play a key role in offering technical support.

Ship construction in Kenya is not a new concept.

The country built its first vessel – the MV Uhuru II – at the Kisumu port more than 70 years ago.

This is an example of how improving shipping and maritime infrastructure is a key component in Kenya’s economic roadmap, by harnessing maritime resources to propel its industrialisation agenda under Vision 2030.

The global market for ship construction, estimated at $126 billion in 2020, is dominated by South Korea (40 per cent), China (25 per cent) and Japan (15 per cent).

The global maritime trade value is worth $14 trillion, of which 40 per cent, worth $5.6 trillion, passes through the east coast of Africa.

This means that Kenya will for the first time have the chance to access $ 5.6 trillion of the trade that takes place in this region of Africa by ensuring ships pass through Kenya to undergo repair and maintenance.

Maritime stakeholders believed that not until Nigeria starts to harness its boundless maritime potentials will it be taken seriously by the global players who have consecutively denied the country to seat at the global maritime Council.

They pointed to a lot of gaps in the efforts of the government to develop the industry and harness its potentials.

They also decried the inability of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA) to deploy the multi-billion naira floating dockyard which has since been bogged down by controversies several years after it was purchased.

Related Topics:featured Kenya in IMO Council

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Tantita intercepts stolen crude on escort of Delta Marine Police, arrests four suspects

Funso OLOJO

Tantita Security Services Limited, a pipeline surveillance operations company, has intercepted a tanker vessel, MT Thor, laden with suspected stolen crude oil.

The interception, which occurred on December 15th, 2025, around the Koko–Excravos axis of Delta State, happened while the vessel was allegedly being escorted by personnel of the Police Marine Unit, Delta State, who reportedly claimed they were acting on directives from the Force Intelligence Department (FID), Abuja.

Four suspects have been apprehended in connection with the incident and are currently facing investigation for possible prosecution.

The arrest was announced during the handover of the suspects at Koko Port in Delta State by Tantita Security Services Limited (TSSNL), a firm engaged in pipeline surveillance operations.

Speaking at the handover of the vessel and the suspects at Koko Port, Delta state, the Executive Director of Operations at Tantita, Captain Warredi Enisouh, said the suspects were apprehended with an unspecified quantity of suspected illegally sourced petroleum products aboard the vessel.

According to a situation report made available by the Special Prosecution Team (SPT) of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Petroleum Product Theft, Tantita alerted the Head of Investigation of the SPT after intercepting MT Thor, which was allegedly laden with crude oil obtained through illicit means.

Preliminary investigations by law enforcement agencies revealed that the vessel, now classified as an exhibit in an ongoing criminal investigation, is linked to a jetty operated by Ebenco Global Services Limited.

Investigation officers disclosed that documents and correspondence connected to the jetty were obtained and are currently under review.

“The owner of the jetty, Mr. Ebenezer, was contacted by investigators and reportedly provided additional documents, including court orders, which are also being analysed as part of the investigation.

“On December 16, a joint investigation team led by the Head of Investigation of the SPT conducted a Joint Inspection Visit in Koko.

The team first met at Tantita’s corporate headquarters in Warri for a briefing, which was also attended by the jetty owner.

“During the inspection, investigators attempted to obtain samples from MT Thor but were unable to do so immediately as the vessel had not yet arrived at the jetty, having been towed from an earlier location by security operatives.

“While awaiting the vessel’s arrival, the team inspected other containers suspected to be carrying crude oil within the premises of Ebenco Global Links Limited, where samples were taken from a storage barge.

“MT Thor eventually berthed at about 8:30 p.m. on 16 December, prompting the joint team to adjourn sampling and other procedures until the following day.

As of 17 December 2025, investigators were reported to be en route to Koko to continue sample collection and complete investigation formalities,” the report read.

Receiving the suspects, the Head of the Special Prosecution Team of the Inter-Agency Task Force, Omar Sini, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s resolve to dismantle crude oil theft networks in the Niger Delta, assuring that all findings would be thoroughly examined and prosecuted in line with the law.

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Mobereola, NIMASA DG, reflects on year 2025 with satisfaction, says 2026 holds promising opportunities for maritime industry

Funso OLOJO

The Director -General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dayo Mobereola, has expressed his satisfaction over the achievements recorded in the maritime industry in the outgoing year of 2025, while looking forward to a promising 2026 with hope.

In his Christmas message to the stakeholders in the maritime industry, Dr Mobereola noted that the 2026 ended well with the election of Nigeria into the category C of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) after 14 years of failed attempts as well as zero occurrence of piracy attacks on Nigeria’ waters.

“The year 2025 has been a good one for our industry as once again, we have not recorded a single piracy attack in our waters in a whole calendar year, Nigeria was also able to deposit three Instruments of Accession to IMO Conventions that were signed by President Bola Tinubu ,we have been able to maintain industrial harmony in the sector all of which culminated to Nigeria’s election into the category C Council of the International Maritime Organization.

“We couldn’t have done this without our stakeholders who have contributed in various ways in the course of their operations during the year. We see you, we thank you and we felicitate with your during this yuletide season”Mobereola observed.

He however assured that the Agency will re-double efforts in ensuring that 2026 is even better for every stakeholder.

While calling on industry operators to brace up for the new year with hope of better times, Dr. Mobereola noted that “at NIMASA, we appreciate the weight of our renewed responsibility by virtue of Nigeria’s membership of the IMO Council because to whom much is given, much is definitely expected.

” You can therefore be sure of an increased momentum in our resolve to sustain maritime safety, security, environmental protection and adherence to relevant conventions and protocols with renewed vigour.”

The DG concluded by acknowledging the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, industry stakeholders, management and staff of NIMASA as well as all Nigerians and wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

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FG trains 75 boat operators on safe inland waterway navigation

Funso OLOJO

The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, in collaboration with the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), has concluded a three-day Boat Navigation and Safety Training for 75 boat drivers and skippers, as part of efforts to improve safety and professionalism on Nigeria’s inland waterways.

The training, which ran from Monday, 22, December, 2025 to Wednesday, 24 December, 2025 focused on equipping participants with the practical knowledge and operational competence required for the issuance of the Certificate in Safe Boating and Navigation.

Participants were drawn from major boating associations, including the Maritime Workers Union, the Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATAN), and the Waterfront Boat Owners and Transporters Association of Nigeria (WABOTAN).

Boat operators from Lagos, Ogun and Ondo states took part in the programme.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Timothy Clement of the NIWA Lagos Area Office described the training as a significant intervention aimed at reducing accidents on inland waterways.

He noted that many previous boat mishaps were caused by limited technical knowledge and insufficient experience among operators, adding that sustained capacity-building would help address the challenge.

Clement also highlighted ongoing safety measures being implemented by NIWA, including the removal of wrecks to improve navigation and continuous sensitisation of boat operators along major routes such as CMS, Ikorodu, Badore, Badagry and Port Novo.

According to him, NIWA has intensified awareness campaigns, moving from jetty to jetty to educate operators on safe practices, while encouraging boat owners to release more skippers and captains for structured training programmes.

“So far, so good. We thank God for the success of this three-day training for boat skippers.

“Participants came from Lagos and other parts of Nigeria, and over the past three days, they have learned a great deal,” Clement said.

“This year alone, NIWA conducted sensitisation exercises two to three times across different jetties.

“We are encouraging operators to make more of their captains and skippers available for this kind of training.

” I believe that by this time next year, we will have even more reasons to celebrate improved safety on our waterways,” he added.

Also speaking, the Lead Trainer and Consultant, Dr. Sileola Akinbowale, described the programme as a life-saving initiative designed to strengthen manpower capacity and reduce waterway accidents.

She explained that the training was structured to ensure boat operators are properly equipped with both theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills required to operate safely and efficiently.

Akinbowale commended the Federal Government, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, and the former Managing Director of NIWA, Bola Oyebamiji, for prioritising safety and capacity development in the sector.

Assessing the programme, she rated it about 90 per cent successful, noting that it combined classroom sessions with practical exercises on the water.

“We did not limit the training to classroom lectures. Participants were taken out for practical sessions at the jetty, which made the programme very effective. It was an all-inclusive training, not just theory,” she said.

She assured that the initiative would be sustained, stressing that continuous capacity enhancement remains critical to saving lives and improving professionalism on inland waterways.

Participants expressed satisfaction with the training, describing it as timely and impactful.

A Lagos-based boat operator, Wasiu Olalekan, said the programme had strengthened participants’ ability to respond to emergencies and distress situations.

“With this training, we now know how to handle distress situations on the waterways because of the knowledge given to us. On behalf of the Lagos State participants, we appreciate the Minister and NIWA management for this opportunity,” he said.

Another participant from Ondo State, Biobaku John, said the training exposed him to critical safety and emergency response skills that would enhance his professionalism.

“I gained important safety and firefighting skills during these three days. As a boat driver, I learned a lot and I am proud to have participated,” he said.

Similarly, the leader of the Ogun State delegation, Pami Ronald, said participants were trained in boat handling, safety procedures, first aid, emergency response, engine maintenance and effective waterway transport management.

“For the past three days, we learned extensively about safety, first aid, how to raise alarms, call for rescue teams and even engine maintenance. The training was very educative,” he said.

The programme forms part of ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and NIWA, in line with recommendations from investigation reports under the tenure of former NIWA Managing Director, Bola Oyebamiji, to improve safety standards, professionalism and confidence among inland waterway operators nationwide.