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Jamoh’s two years of revolutionary stewardship in Nigeria’s maritime industry

Bashir Jamoh, DG, NIMASA
Eyewitness reporter
On March 10th, 2020, exactly two years today, Dr Bashir Jamoh officially took over from his predecessor, Dr Dakuku Peterside, as the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
During the handing over ceremony which took place at the Corporate Headquarters of the agency, Dakuku Peterside, while handing over the mantle of leadership to Dr Jamoh,  said he could not have wished for a better successor because Jamoh, a “homegrown” administrator per excellence, possesses the requisite institutional knowledge that would immensely benefit the industry.
Dakuku couldn’t have been more accurate about Jamoh because the maritime industry has witnessed unprecedented changes in character and contents since the Kaduna state-born, hard-core technocrat took over.
The whirlwind of impactful changes which were initiated by Jamoh has touched all the facets of maritime administration such as maritime security, maritime safety, port state control, flag state control, maritime labour, capacity building and even the staff of the agency have benefitted from the immense managerial capacity of Jamoh through enhanced welfare packages.
For the first time in 17 years, the piracy level in the notorious Gulf of Guinea drastically reduced within the two years in office of Jamoh, a feat which attracted commendation of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
Below are the chronicles of the achievements of Jamoh- led administration within the two years he assumed duties as the Director-General of NIMASA.

OPERATIONS/ACTIVITIES OF NIMASA 

MARITIME SAFETY 

The Agency continues to improve its port and flag state functions which is the core of maritime safety. The performance of the Agency in this regard in the last 4 years is highlighted below: 

Port State Inspection (PSI): 

Year PSI % Diff 
2017 525 
2018 659 38% (Increase) 
2019725 10% (Increase) 
2020510 -29.65 (Decrease) 

Total port state inspection in 2019 was 726 vessels of the 5,035 vessels calls which represent a 10% improvement from the preceding year and 14.42% of the total ship call. This is however short of the 15% requirement under IMO by 0.8% of which we are working hard to surpass. 

Total port state inspections in 2020 were 510 of 4,728 vessel calls. (COVID-19 lockdown impacted negatively on the Port State Inspections) 

Year FSI % Diff 
2018 1,737 
20192,580 49% (Increase) 
20202,244 13% decrease 

In 2019, the Agency performed a total of 2,580 flag state inspections representing 2,123 renewal inspections, 276 condition surveys and 181 Random Flag State Surveys. This showed a 49% increase from the 1,737 Total Flag State Inspections carried out in 2018 comprising 1,241 Flag State Renewal Inspections, 381 Condition Surveys and 115 Random Flag State Surveys. However, the decrease in 2020 is attributed to the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

Marine incidents/accidents: 

Sadly, the Agency recorded 22 marine incidents in 2019 and 21 in 2018. Investigations were carried out while some are still ongoing. 

NIMASA has put in tremendous efforts to mitigate the tide of maritime insecurity in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea through several maritime domain awareness interventions and collaborative efforts. 

NIMASA’S EFFORTS IN ADDRESSING MARITIME INSECURITY IN NIGERIA AND THE GULF OF GUINEA 

  • Passage of the Suppression of Piracy and other Maritime Offences Bill 
  1. Establishment of integrated national maritime surveillance and security infrastructure 
  2. International Ship and Port Facility Security (Code) Implementation: The implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code has steadily impacted the level of security in the nation’s port areas and facilities.
  3. Resuscitation of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System(GMDSS) Equipment 
  4. The Regional Maritime Awareness Capacity (RMAC) Centre 
  5. International collaboration: NIMASA is currently engaging international stakeholders, including BIMCO, INTERTANKO, INTERCARGO, International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and Oil Companies International Maritime Forum-OCIMF, under the auspices of NIMASA/Industry Maritime Security Work Group (NIWG) to entrench coordinated response to piracy attacks 
  6. Institutionalization of Collaboration with National Authorities: The Agency has spearheaded the institutionalization of the collaboration between her and other frontline maritime agencies for improved maritime safety and security and efficient port operations. 

CAPACITY BUILDING MILESTONES 

Human Capacity Development 

Statutory financial contribution to Maritime Academy, Oron 

Nigerian Seafarers Development Program (NSDP): 40/60 ratio 

50/50 ratio 100% 

  • Currently, the Agency has trained over 2600 Nigerian Seafarers in various credible maritime institutions UK, Egypt, Philippines, Malaysia, etc. 
  • Recently, the Agency secured the placement of over 400 cadets on board ships for the mandatory SEA-TIME training to make them globally competitive and employable. 
  • NIMASA also sent some of its staff on long term training abroad to build internal capacities in various aspects of the maritime industry at the prestigious World Maritime University. 

INDIGENOUS SHIPPING CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT 

Procurement of the 5th largest modular floating dockyard in Africa to reduce the cost of ship repairs and maintenance 

This milestone achievement comes under a unique Fund known as the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF), designed to provide financial assistance to Nigerian Operators in domestic coastal shipping to own vessels and enhance their competitiveness. 

Fiscal and Monetary Policy Initiatives: We have continued our engagement with the MDAs to entrench appropriate fiscal and monetary policy initiatives to pave way for the competitive participation of indigenous operators in shipping activities in Nigeria. These include but are not limited to: 

  • A push for the change in terms of trade from FOB to CIF for the affreightment of crude oil (NNPC) • Single-digit interest rate for the maritime sector (CBN/NEXIM BANK/AFRIEXIM)
• Concessionalforeignexchangerateforshipacquisition(CBN)
• EngagementwithOfficeoftheVicePresident/EconomicManagementTeam 

We continued our engagement with state governments to buy into our cargo support initiative aimed at creating a cargo pool for affreightment by indigenous operators. 

 Ship Tonnage Growth: Aggressive repositioning of the Nigerian Ship Registration Office (NSRO) 

  •   The Nigerian Ship Registration Office recorded 13.8% tonnage growth from 2018 to 2019. 

  •   This trajectory of growth was negatively impacted by the global covid-19 pandemic. 

  •    However, the Nigerian Ship Registry ranks second in tonnage measurement in Africa after Liberia which operates an open and more flexible registry. 
 Remodelling and commissioning of NIMASA Knowledge Centre E-Library
 The facility is open to staff, students/researchers and external stakeholders/maritime operators to increase the knowledge base of the 
Nigerian Maritime Sector 


SPECIAL INTERVENTION: COVID-19 RESPONSE AND CSR 

The Executive Management of NIMASA recognized from the outset the significant impact of the Corona Virus (COVID-19) Pandemic on the Transport Sector in Particular and the Global socio-economic activities in general, hence set up a multi-disciplinary Committee within the Agency to provide an informed risk assessment with appropriate responses. 


A major intervention of the Agency in ensuring the continued flow of trade was the declaration of Seafarers as KEY WORKERS to facilitate vital crew changes and excuse duty. Nigeria was among the first maritime nations to declare such and was commended by the IMO. 

Corporate Social Responsibility support to Federal and State government by the following donations to Federal & State authorities: 


  1. Cash donations of 30 Million Naira (N30,000,000.00) to the Federal Government Committee on COVID-19 Intervention


20 Million Naira (N20,000,000.00) cash donation to the Lagos State COVID-19 Intervention Task Force
B. Provided human capital/personnel support in the following areas: 

 Medical Personnel  Drivers
 Logistic officers 

  1. Deployment of the Agency’s Fire brigade trucks to fumigate Apapa and its environs. 

LOGISTICS SUPPORT IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19 

State36-Seater Coaster Bus 16-Seater coaster Bus Ambu-lance Fast intervention Marine Vessels Personal protective Equipment (PPEs) 
Abuja 111
Lagos 1112
Rivers 112 (Onne and Port Harcourt) 
Delta 111
Cross River 2 (PSC to source) 1
Kaduna 2

SPECIAL INTERVENTION: CSR FOR FLOOD VICTIMS AND IDP CAMPS 

The Agency presented relief items to victims of flood disasters across the nation. Also, internally displaced persons as a result of the insurgency were not left out of Agency’s Corporate Social Responsibility.
Among the 20 states covered across the 6 geo-political zones are: 

  • Kaduna State
  • Kano State
  • Cross River State 

  • Delta State 

  • Lagos State 

  • Niger State 


VII. Benue State VIII. Ogun State IX. Ondo State 

COMMENDATIONS

The IMO in December 2020 applauded our efforts in the fight against piracy in the Gulf of Guinea Region
The Specialized Organ of the United Nation had earlier supported our action declaring Seafarers as key workers to facilitate crew changes during the COVID-19 induced international lockdown. 

Recently, the IMO gave institutional backing to NIMASA’s Marine Litter Action Plan. These and many more are evidence of our collaboration with the IMO.

The global shipping and economic climate was greatly impacted by the following  in 2020 all through 2021:

  • COVID-19
  • Lockdown
  • Disruption in the global supply chain; and
  • Slow down the economic activities across the globe.

Maritime Safety:

  • Flag State Implementation (FSO) – Vessels inspected/surveyed in accordance with the safety requirements of the MSA 2007

Conduct of Condition survey for Flag Registration

Comparing the number of vessels surveyed for flag registration relative to the previous year, it can be observed that the 2021 figure (489 vessels) is 43.6% higher than the total number of condition surveys carried out in 2020 (276 vessels).

Para-meterJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
Total No of Condition Surveys for Flag Registration conducted in 202032293614722242810311825276
Total No of Condition Surveys for Flag Registration conducted in 2021261919243275744434504349489
  • Port State Control (PCS) 229 foreign vessels boarded to ensure that such vessels maintained safety/pollution standard while in our ports and waters.

Port State Control Implementation

Comparing the number of vessels boarded relative to the previous year, it can be observed that the 2021 figure (673 vessels) is 24.2% higher than the total number of inspections carried out in 2020 (510 vessels).

  • Examination and Certification

Total exam conducted for officers at various capacities and certification for years 2020 and 2021

OFFICERS 2021

  • The total number of examinations conducted 829
  • Total candidate passed and certificated 264, forming a percentage of 32%
  • The total candidates failed 565, forming a percentage of 68%
  • Total certificate revalidated 2021: 246 certificates.

OFFICERS IN 2020

  • Total number of examinations conducted 610
  • Total candidates passed and certificated 251, forming a percentage of 41%
  • Total candidates failed 359, forming a percentage of 59%
  • Total certificate revalidated 2020: 132 certificates.

EXAMINATION RATINGS IN 2020

  • The total number of examinations conducted 1,251
  • Total candidates passed and certificated 926, forming a percentage of 74%
  • Total candidates failed 325, forming a percentage of 26%

EXAMINATION RATINGS IN 2020

  • The total number of examinations conducted 1,327
  • Total candidate passed and certificated 990, forming a percentage of 74%
  • Total candidates failed 337, forming a percentage of 26%
  • Online Seafarers Certificate of Competency (CoC) Verification Platform reactivated

The project has drastically reduced the forgery of Nigerian certificates and enhanced the employment of Nigerian Seafarers in the maritime sector. 

  • Enforcement of Safety Regulations on Barges and Tug Boards (Operation Sting Ray)
  • ISO 9001 Quality Assurance Certification for the operation of the Maritime Safety Department Approval of ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System for the Maritime Safety and Seafarers Standard Department by Bureau Veritas (BV) in April 2020.
  • Revival of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) equipment – Necessary for sending alerts in an emergency. The GMDSS is to ensure the safety of life at sea.
  • Marine Accident Investigation Data/Information

Marine Pollution Prevention and Control

  • Marine Environment Management 

Nigeria has entered into MoU with Maritime Transport Coordination Centre (MTCC) on Climate Change for Africa to commence activities towards ensuring GHG emission reduction in the maritime sector with emphasis on achieving 0.5% Sulphur Oxide (SO2) in Bunker fuel oil.

  • Awareness creation
  • Establishment of bunker (fuel oil) supply register 
  • Accreditation of laboratories for testing bunker oil
  • Capacity building on the emission of reduction; and
  • Establishment of Compliance monitoring and Enforcement Team (CMET)
  • IOPC 92

Produced manual for the admissibility of claims under the fund.

The manual is to contain the price index for determining the quantum of claims for settlement in case of oil pollution.

  • Update on the Trinity Spirit FPSO

Maritime Security:

  • Deep Blue Project:

The Deep Blue Project was flagged off by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, 21st May, 2021.

The Agency has taken delivery of key assets of the Deep Blue Project including:

  • Two Special Mission Vessels (SMVs)
  • Seventeen Fast Interceptor Boats (FIBs)
  • Two Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs)
  • Sixteen Armoured Vehicles

Some of these assets have been deployed to the Nigerian Navy for its operational use.

  • The Regional Maritime Awareness Capacity (RMAC) Centre

Provision of the Regional Maritime Awareness Capacity (RMAC) Centre Kirikiri by the US Navy Upgraded to SEA VISION to allow for monitoring of vessels along the West and Central African region.

  • NIMASA/Industry Working Group

International collaboration among major international stakeholders in the maritime/shipping sector.

To entrench coordinated response to piracy and other criminalities on the Nigerian waters and prompt reportage and escalation of marine incidences to where the action is most expected and to provide navigational advisory to mariners.

  • The Maritime  Security & Intelligence Unit

For intelligence and information gathering and sharing that can help to stop piracy.

  • Collaboration with Security Agencies

At the strategic level, the Agency ensures a close liaison with the offices of the NSA , CNS, Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Army Staff and the IGP.

The Agency has played a pivotal role in the institutionalization of the collaboration between her and other government agencies for improved maritime security and safety.

 

  • ISPS

The total number of currently operational onshore facilities in the ISPS unit is Ninety-eight (98) divided into six maritime zones.

For ease of administration because of their locations & accessibility, some zones are further subdivided.

In 2020 VIEs carried out as detailed below for the four (4) quarters

  1. Lagos subdivisions
    1. Apapa – 9
    2. Kirikiri – 12 
    3. Ijora & Ijegun – 8 in first & second quarter & 11 in last quarter 
    4. Tincan – 8 
  2. Port Harcourt – 11
  3. Calabar – 9
  4. Onne – 9
  5. Eket – 4
  6. Warri – 16

Total 87 (Eighty–Seven)

In 2021 VIEs carried out as detailed below for the four (4) quarters

  1. Lagos subdivisions
    1. Apapa – 10
    2. Kirikiri – 12 
    3. Ijora – 7
    4. Ijegun – 7
    5. Tincan – 8
  2. Port Harcourt – 13
  3. Calabar – 8
  4. Onne – 10
  5. Eket – 3
  6. Warri – 17

Total 96 (Ninety–Six)

Shipping Promotion and Capacity Development

  • Shipping Promotion
    • Concessions to boost indigenous ownership
    • Strengthen enforcement of Cabotage to boost local participation
    • Capactiy Development 
    • Human – Natural Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) – Training of over 2,600 Nigerian Seafarers in various maritime institutions worldwide and a good number of them who have completed their programmes are no gainfuully employed onboard vessels.
    • Assets – Approval for CVFF disbursement to assist in vessel acquisition by indigenous Nigerian Shipowners – Most Nigerian Operators in domestic coastal shipping now own vessels and enhance their competitiveness. 
    • Learning Infrastructure Upgrade
      • Completion of the renovation and furnishing of the conventional library
      • Digitization of the convention library books/other resource materials
      • Renewal of e-library management software:

2022 in Focus

  • Strengthen our maritime safety and security enforcement mechanisms
  • Organise a stakeholders’ engagement towards harnessing the potentials of a blue economy
  • Enhance revenue for increased contribution to the consolidated revenue fund
  • Movement of the Agency’s Headquarters to its newly acquired building in Victoria Island.
  • Operationalization of the floating dock
  • Establishment of regional maritime safety and security training centre
  • Build regional maritime search and rescue clinic
  • Resuscitate Lokoja office
  • Construction of NIMASA zonal offices (Central zone and Eastern zone)
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Headlines

The Trillion-Naira Vault: Locking away NPA’ s port modernisation funds from groping hands of political actors 

Monday Discourse with Ibrahim Nasiru 
“He who controls the keys to the vault will always dictate the direction of the ship.”
The reception to my recent analysis on rethinking Nigeria’s Port financing strategy highlighted a deep-seated, justifiable skepticism within our maritime community.
While stakeholders overwhelmingly agree that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) must transition toward domestic capital mobilization and revenue retention, one critical question keeps resurfacing: How do we protect a Port Modernization Sinking Fund from the political interference that has paralyzed the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) for decades?
It is a valid worry.
In Nigeria, the road to infrastructure decay is paved with well intentioned funds that were ultimately treated as political spoils.
If a Port modernization fund is structured simply as a government bank account controlled by changing political appointees, it will fail.
This risk is particularly acute given that the NPA is now a high-stakes fiscal engine, having formally projected a staggering ₦1.489 trillion revenue target for the 2026 fiscal year during its recent budget defense before the National Assembly.
To succeed, we must move away from government custody and engineer “political-proof” maritime structures where true insulation does not come from isolating an asset from the state entirely, but from wrapping it in legal, financial, and institutional guardrails that make political meddling legally impossible and financially punishable.
The first step to safeguarding maritime revenues is removing them from the direct custody of political agencies.
 A Port Modernization Sinking Fund must never sit on the balance sheet of the NPA, nor within the Treasury Single Account (TSA) where it can be swept to fund unrelated national deficits.
Instead, a portion of the NPA’s revenue stream must be legally diverted into an independent, bankruptcy-remote Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) incorporated under the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
Once the funds hit this SPV, they are legally separate from the government, meaning a sitting Minister or Managing Director cannot simply sign a memo to withdraw cash to fund a political project without violating corporate governance laws and triggering immediate litigation from asset trustees.
Furthermore, the historic failure of the CVFF lies in bureaucratic custody where politicians and regulators hold the keys to the vault.
For a Port sinking fund to work, custody must be handed over to a consortium of independent, private sector institutional trustees and asset managers who operate under strict fiduciary duties.
Their sole mandate is to protect the fund and ensure capital is deployed exclusively for the specific infrastructure projects outlined in the fund’s charter—such as quay wall reconstruction or digital single window infrastructure—leaving them legally bound to refuse any political demands for diversion under the full weight of investment laws and the Investment and Securities Act.
The most effective way to keep politicians honest is to introduce aggressive counter parties who will sue if rules are broken, which is achieved by using the retained Port revenues inside the SPV as equity to issue local currency maritime infrastructure bonds on the financial market  dealers  quotation (FMDQ) or Nigerian Exchange (NGX) to attract institutional investors like pension fund administrators (PFAs).
When Nigeria’s pension funds invest trillions of Naira into our Ports, the fund ceases to be an opaque government kitty and becomes a publicly traded, highly regulated instrument where the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and powerful institutional investors will demand quarterly audits, strict disclosures, and timely debt servicing, ensuring no administration risks defaulting on local bonds held by millions of working Nigerians just to satisfy a short term political interest.
To cement these structures, the National Assembly must provide legislative teeth through targeted amendments to the Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) Act, including an “Irrevocable Standing Payment Order” (ISPO) or an automated revenue split mechanism.
The moment Port tariffs are paid by shipping lines via the digital National Single Window, the technology must automatically split the funds, sending 70% to the Federation Account and 30% directly to the private led infrastructure SPV, effectively hardcoding this split into the Port’s digital architecture to eliminate human discretion and political approvals from the collection loop entirely.
Ultimately, we cannot allow the mismanagement of the past to paralyze our economic imagination for the future.
 The CVFF failed because it was designed as an insular, government controlled honeypot, but a Port Modernization Fund built on private trusteeship, SPV structures, and capital market accountability changes the game entirely.
If Nigeria is to successfully modernize the century old Apapa Port and fix the decaying berths at Tin Can Island, we must build financial structures that outlast political administrations, treating financial engineering with the same urgency as civil engineering to ensure that our maritime wealth is locked securely in service of the nation’s trade, far out of the reach of political interference.
Chief Ibrahim Nasiru , a public affairs analyst, writes from
Abuja
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Analyses

The trillion naira vault: Building political-proof ports for Nigeria

The Monday Discourse with Ibrahim Nasiru focuses on the strategy to lock away the NPA’s port modernisation funds from the groping hands of the politicians in other to avert the calamity which befell the infamous Cabotage Vessels Financing Fund (CVFF)
Following up on the intense national discussion regarding the NPA’s ₦1.489 trillion revenue target, here is a preview of my analysis on how we can structurally lock this massive wealth away from bureaucratic hands.
We cannot allow the historic failure of the Cabotage Vessels Financing Fund (CVFF) to paralyze our economic imagination.
The solution to Port decay isn’t to stop collecting funds, but to change who holds the keys to the vault.
From deploying bankruptcy-remote SPVs to issuing local currency infrastructure bonds backed by pension funds, this piece outlines the exact financial engineering needed to modernize Apapa and Tin Can Island.
Watch out for the full analysis tomorrow.
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Headlines

At World Environment Day celebration, NIWA renews commitment to clean, secure waterways 

Umar Yusuf Girei, NIWA Ag. MD
Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter
The Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Umar Yusuf Girei, has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to maintaining clean, safe and sustainable inland waterways as Nigeria joins the global community to mark the 2026 World Environment Day.
The celebration, themed “Urbanisation and Climate Change: Building Resilient Cities for a Sustainable Future,” draws attention to the environmental challenges accompanying rapid urban growth and climate change impacts.
In a statement delivered at NIWA Headquarters in Lokoja, Girei extended greetings to cities across the country, noting that urban areas are increasingly expanding around waterways which continue to serve as vital centres of commerce, culture and economic activity.
He, however, warned that urbanisation places significant strain on the environment, leading to challenges such as rising temperatures, flooding and erosion, all of which require urgent and coordinated response measures.
According to him, NIWA views inland waterways as natural infrastructure for building urban resilience, explaining that properly managed rivers and channels help mitigate flooding by serving as drainage pathways, while also offering a cleaner, low-carbon option for transporting goods and passengers.
Girei reiterated the Authority’s commitment to responsible dredging, protection of riverbanks, and sustained efforts to keep waterways free from pollution and indiscriminate waste disposal.
He also stressed that government cannot shoulder the responsibility alone, urging Nigerians to contribute by disposing of waste properly, planting trees along riverbanks, reporting illegal dredging and encroachment activities, and supporting environmental protection initiatives.
He further encouraged greater adoption of water transportation as a safer and more sustainable alternative to road transport across the country.
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