Headlines

From LAMATA to NIMASA: The Task Before Dayo Mobereola.

Dayo Mobereola, taking over the mantle of office at NIMASA

The Eyewitness Reporter

Last week Friday, March 22nd, 2024, the new Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dayo Mobereola quietly walked into the Kanti Towers( now NIMASA Towers), the new ultra-modern headquarters of the agency, to assume duties.

He was pronounced the new helmsman of the rich government parastatal on March 11th, 2024 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to replace Dr Bashir Jamoh, whose four-year eventful tenure lapsed on March 10th, 2024.

As expected, the former Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority(LAMATA )boss was elated by his new office and status.

He said this much when he expressed his enthusiasm to become the new NIMASA DG.

” It is with great enthusiasm and a sense of purpose that I step into this position” he had said with a glowing mien when he took over the baton of leadership from Mr Chudi Offodile, the Agency’s Executive Director, Finance and Administration, who had been acting since the exit of Jamoh.

It is expected that Dr Mobereola should be elated given the fact that he now sits atop an international-inclined, money-spinning government agency which is by far bigger in status, stature and scope than LAMATA.

However, we want to advise Mobereola not to be carried away by the euphoria of his new office and position as he is faced with the daunting task of driving the most critical, dynamic and highly technical agency which is by far more tasking, engaging and challenging than LAMATA.

He should also know that he is in an industry that is international in operation and whose operators are cynical but discerning and sophisticated in thoughts and actions, who are unsparing in their criticism, who are impatient with laggards and who are quite friendly and supportive of intelligent, proactive and impactful Chief Executive officers of the frontline regulatory agency in the industry.

The industry whose stakeholders are intoxicated by successes but incensed by failures.

So Mobereola should know what he is up against as he is stepping into the big shoes vacated by his predecessor, Dr Bashir Jamoh, whose modest achievements have now set parameters by which his performance shall be assessed.

Such parameters include but are not limited to shipping development, CVFF disbursement, full deployment of the agency’s floating dock, change in Nigeria’s fortune at the IMO elections where the country has become a serial loser, the proactive approach to the controversial National Seafarers Development Programme(NSDP).

Cabotage Vessels Financing Funds(CVFF)

Mobereola is coming into the office to meet one of the most controversial, highly politicized and brazenly abused interventionist Programmes of the agency, the Cabotage Vessels Financing Funds (CVFF).

Initiated in 2003 through the Cabotage Act, it is meant to empower indigenous ship owners to enable them to compete effectively in the Cabotage trade.

The fund is the accruals from the two per cent deductions made from Cabotage contracts of indigenous ship owners.

The special purpose loan facility is meant to be disbursed to qualified beneficiaries who meet the stringent guidelines.

Instructively, the funds have not been disbursed 20 years after it started. and it is said to have accrued the sum of $700milion as at 2023.

It has suffered several abuse and postponements of disbursement dates and become an object of official deceit and controversy so much so that the indigenous ship owners for whom it is meant have lost hope and confidence in government sincerity.

Under Jamoh, who appeared genuinely sincere and committed, the funds came close to disbursement as it got two presidential approvals under President Mohammudu Buhari, first to Rotimi Ameachi and then in December 2022, to Muazu Sambo, both former Ministers of Transportation.

Sambo even had to stake his integrity on the disbursement of the controversial funds when in December 2022, he bragged “Hold me responsible if this funds is not disbursed. I am staking my integrity on the approval granted by Mr President”

We need not say that the funds were still not disbursed before he exited.

We went into the intrigues and opaque manner in which the vexed issue of CVFF disbursement had been handled for 20 years so Mobereola would know the task at hand.

If he could eventually break the 20-year-old jinx of CVFF disbursement before he leaves office, he would become an instant celebrity among the highly sceptical stakeholders who have already written him off as a misfit before he even assumed duties.

Nigeria’s Serial loses at IMO Category C elections

Another parameter that will be used to measure the performance of the new NIMASA DG is how he would turn the fortunes of Nigeria around at the International Maritime Organisation(IMO) elections.

Since 2007, when Nigeria last won the election into the Category ‘C’ council of the IMO under the former NIMASA DG, Dr Ade Dosunmu, it has been A string of consistent loses after then.

Since 2009 till date, Nigeria’s bids to win the coveted position at the IMO have been met with crushing defeats and near-misses.

The country became defeat-weary so much that it chickened out of the 2023 biannual elections when it failed to participate in the election held in the London headquarters of the IMO in December 2023.

Gboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, who led other government officials on a jamboree visit to London in 2023 to observe the election which Nigeria ought to have participated, said Nigeria will not participate in that year’s election to give ample room for preparations for the 2025 edition.

Mobereola, with the active support and guidance of the minister, should leverage the giant stride made by his immediate predecessor towards this direction.

Jamoh has built international goodwill and made the government invest in robust maritime infrastructure which engender maritime security and safety.

It behoves the new helmsman at the agency to harness all these and deliver to Nigeria a place in the prestigious category C at the IMO Council.

If he does that in the next council elections in 2025, then some of his critics, especially in the maritime media, would be falling over themselves to confer on him the Maritime Man of the Year Award reserved for the performing CEOs in the industry.

Full deployment of the agency’s floating dock.

Again, his immediate predecessor, Bashir Jamoh, had prepared a ground for the eventual deployment of this national asset.

NIMASA acquired the giant floating dock in 2018 at the staggering sum of N50 billion in what appeared that the agency put the chart before the horse as it searched for a suitable operational base for six years while the facility was idling away and gulping national resources.

However, Jamoh made what appeared to be concrete steps towards the eventual deployment of the giant floating dock before he bowed out of office.

He convinced the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to lease its facilities at the Continental shipyard for the anchorage of the floating dock.

He also engaged the services of Melsmore Marina Nigeria Limited as a technical partner to drive the deployment of the dock.

Shortly before Jamoh exited, the floating dock had been dragged to a jetty at the Standard Flour Mills, Apapa in preparation for its final movement to its scheduled operational base at the Continental Shipyard.

So, Mobereola has had its work cut out for him by his immediate predecessor.

All he needs to do is finalize the arrangement that would enable the floating dock to commence operations that will conserve the scarce foreign exchange that Nigeria’s local ship owners use to dry dock their vessels outside the shores of the country.

Sustaining the momentum in the fight against piracy.

One of the legacies left behind by Bashir Jamoh is the highly emasculated pirate attacks on Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea.

Nigeria led the international onslaught on piracy in the Gulf of Guinea which recorded a considerable decline in the operations of pirates in the last few years.

Through the deployment of its sophisticated infrastructures under the Deep Blue project, Nigeria has fought piracy to a standstill.

This laudable effort was further boosted by the promulgation of the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Act, 2019 (SPOMO) Act which helped in speedy and effective prosecution of pirates in the country.

With these far-reaching measures and efforts, all that Mobereola needs to do is to sustain the fight against piracy.

He can’t afford to ease his foot on the pedal as a spike in the unholy activities of pirates will deal irreversible damage to his tenure.

Revival of dying indigenous shipping operations.

One of the cardinal objectives of NIMASA is shipping development.

However, this is a dark spot on what could have been a glittering tenure of his immediate predecessor, Bashir Jamoh.

Under Jamoh, shipping development didn’t enjoy as much attention as other areas of the agency’s mandates as businesses most of the indigenous ship owners went under.

Probably due to the non-rebursement of the controversial CVFF which should have empowered the indigenous ship owners, the operations of these operators nose-dived as substantial numbers of them went out of business.

To worm himself into the hearts of the distressed and depressed indigenous ship owners, Mobereola should court them, consult them and engage with them in decisions that would be taken by the agency concerning the promotion of their businesses.

The National Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP)

The National Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) was initiated by NIMASA in 2008 under the former DG, Dr Ade Dosunmu. It was designed to train Nigerian youths up to a degree level in Marine Engineering, Nautical Services and Naval Architecture in some of the best maritime training institutions abroad.

Since its inception, the programme is reputed to have produced about 2,000 beneficiaries.

However, the sore point in the programme is that most of the cadets who passed through the programme lack the requisite sea-time training as that important component was not initially embedded in the terms of engagement between NIMASA and the foreign training institutions.

Also, it has been alleged that the programme has largely been an instrument of nepotism as beneficiaries are friends, relatives and cronies of highly placed Nigerians in government, including successive Minister of Transportation (Marine and Blue Economy ministry).

As a result, some stakeholders have called for its scrapping.

Mobereola should look into these allegations and provide workable solutions that would address the lack of seatime training for the cadets and the issue of nepotism should be looked into.

The duties of the new NIMASA DG have clearly been cut out for him and adequate ground was prepared for him by his immediate predecessor.

It is now incumbent on Mobereola to latch on these opportunities to drive the maritime industry higher than he met it.

Failure to do this and make an impact within the next six months of his tenure, he would have the harsh, hard and highly sceptical stakeholders to contend with.

His short speech at the handing-over ceremony last week Friday, March 22nd, 2024 was not inspiring as it gives him away as someone who hasn’t gotten a grasp of the task ahead

“I do not doubt that every individual within our organization has the potential to achieve greatness.

” We will, therefore, ensure that we build a purpose-driven organisation by investing in our staff, processes, and the entire system to achieve our mandate.

” I aim to foster an environment of innovation, collaboration and synergy, creating an atmosphere that encourages the development of our employees’ skills, talents, and creativity” he has said.

To stakeholders, the statement is nebulous as it was not specific on key areas of interest to industry operators.

So, the sooner Mobereola knows that the maritime industry and administration is more technical, engaging, and in-depth in the conception and execution of ideas and policies than land transportation, the better.

Headlines

Tantita gifts military 15 gun boats to enhance security surveillance on Nigeria’s waters

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter

In a bid to further decapitate the capacity of pirates and armed robbers at sea, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, has donated 15 sophisticated and high- caliber gun boats to Nigerian Armed Forces.

Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited is a private security company headquartered in Effurun, Delta State, specializing in protecting Nigeria’s vital oil and gas infrastructure through pipeline protection, paramilitary escort, and advanced surveillance operations.

The commissioning ceremony took place at the Nigerian Navy Boatyard in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, May 14th, 2026.

The company handed over seven gun boats to the Nigeria Army while the Nigeria Navy got eight gun boats.

The vessels are expected to enhance joint operations against oil theft, piracy, and other maritime crimes in the Niger Delta and coastal waters.

The event featured military officials, representatives of Tantita Security Services, and dignitaries from Rivers State government.

The commissioning underscored the importance of public-private collaboration in safeguarding Nigeria’s waterways.

Officials emphasized that the deployment of these gun boats will strengthen surveillance, rapid response, and deterrence against criminal activities threatening national economic assets.

Nigeria’s maritime domain has long been vulnerable to illegal bunkering, smuggling, and piracy.

By equipping both the Army and Navy with modern gun boats, Tantita Security Services aims to reinforce the military’s operational readiness and ensure safer navigation for commercial and civilian vessels.

Headlines

APMT pledges fresh $600m investment to boost terminal operations at Apapa port.

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The APM Terminals has pledged a fresh investment portfolio of $600m to shore up its terminal operations at the Apapa Port.

The Dutch company operates the largest container terminals in the West African sub- regional at Apapa port.

The Regional President, APM Terminals Africa-Europe, Igor van den Essen, disclosed this when he led other executives, including Head of Investments, APM Terminals, Martijn Van Dongen, and CEO, APM Terminals Nigeria, Frederik Klinke, to meet with President Tinubu on the sidelines of the ongoing Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda.

Igor van den Essen said the proposed investments will be deployed in Apapa port modernisation, logistics infrastructure, and long-term private-sector investment in Nigeria’s maritime sector.

President Tinubu welcomed the investments, emphasising that Nigeria is repositioning itself for greater competitiveness through ongoing economic reforms and infrastructure modernisation.

He said the country is determined to move beyond structural bottlenecks and outdated systems, stressing the need for advanced technology, faster cargo processing, and improved operational efficiency across the nation’s ports.

He emphasised that Nigeria possesses the market scale, talent base, and economic potential to support globally competitive maritime and logistics infrastructure investments and called on other investors to take advantage of Nigeria’s reform outcomes.

Earlier, Igor van den Essen lauded President Tinubu’s reform agenda and policy direction, which had strengthened investor confidence and created renewed momentum for long-term infrastructure investments.

He described Nigeria as a strategic stronghold within its African operations, referencing over 20 years of collaboration and substantial existing investments in the country’s port ecosystem.

He reaffirmed his company’s commitment to expanding investments in Nigeria and disclosed plans to support the development of world-class terminal infrastructure and technology-driven port operations.

He also commended President Tinubu for establishing the National Single Window (NSW), which has streamlined trade procedures, improved Customs coordination, and reduced delays in cargo clearance.

In another meeting with Winme Group executives, President Bola Tinubu called for deeper investment partnerships to unlock Nigeria’s opportunities in logistics, mining, shipping, and integrated infrastructure development.

He stressed the need for integrated investments linking ports, transport systems, processing facilities, and export infrastructure to drive industrial growth and competitiveness.

The delegation expressed confidence in Nigeria’s long-term investment potential, having closely followed President Tinubu’s reforms.

Customs

At UNILORIN conference, Adeniyi advocates for human- driven technology for balanced developmental efforts

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter

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‎The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has reaffirmed the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to responsible digital transformation and innovation driven governance during his keynote address at the 4th Biennial International Conference organised by the Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences, University of Ilorin, in collaboration with the Faculty of Philology, RUDN University, Russia.

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‎The conference, themed “Disruptive Technology: Human and Artificial Intelligence in the Digital Economy,” was held on Wednesday, 13 May 2026, at the University of Ilorin Main Auditorium.

The event attracted academics, communication experts, technology professionals, researchers, policymakers, and heads of government agencies to deliberate on the growing influence of digital innovation and artificial intelligence on governance, education, trade, and economic development.

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‎In his address, CGC Adeniyi stressed the importance of balancing technological advancement with human responsibility, noting that the future of the digital economy depends not only on artificial intelligence but also on ethics, leadership, and institutional capacity.

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‎“The digital age is, in the end, a human story, and the real test of our generation is not how powerful our machines become, but how wisely our societies choose to use them,” Adeniyi stated.

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‎He observed that disruptive technologies such as digital payments, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and smart systems have already reshaped global operations, adding that the world is no longer preparing for disruption but actively functioning within it.

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‎According to him, government institutions must ensure that technological innovation strengthens transparency, public trust, and operational efficiency without compromising accountability.

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‎Drawing from the Nigeria Customs Service’s experience, the CGC highlighted ongoing digital transformation initiatives, particularly the deployment of the B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System, which has significantly improved trade facilitation, cargo processing, and inter-agency collaboration.

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‎He disclosed that the platform generated over N230 billion at the PTML Command within its first eight months of deployment, while cargo clearance timelines for compliant traders have been reduced to less than eight hours.

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‎“The partnership, not the rivalry, between human and artificial intelligence is where the real value lies,” he said, adding that technology delivers optimal results when guided by strong institutional values and ethical standards.

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‎Adeniyi further noted that although artificial intelligence enhances efficiency, risk management, and decision-making, human expertise and leadership remain indispensable to effective governance and enforcement.

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‎“Technology changes processes leadership and expertise still deliver the results,” he added.

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‎The CGC also called for stronger collaboration among universities, research institutions, and public agencies to develop practical solutions to emerging digital and governance challenges.

He urged academic institutions to move beyond theoretical learning and play a more active role in innovation and policy development.

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‎He identified areas where academia can support Customs modernisation efforts, including digital compliance systems, AI-driven risk management, public trust communication strategies, and the governance of cross border data flows.

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‎Adeniyi further advocated for the development of digital governance frameworks tailored to African realities, legal systems, and developmental priorities, emphasising that technological advancement must remain accountable to the people it serves.

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‎On the sidelines of the conference,the CGC engaged with heads of government agencies, scholars, communication professionals, traditional rulers, and institutional leaders on opportunities for collaboration in digital innovation, research, community development, and capacity building.