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I am ready to stake my integrity over disbursement of CVFF—-Sambo

—Vows to resign if cabotage loans are given out for political patronage

—-spells out tough eligibility criteria to access loan

The Eyewitness Reporter

The Minister of Transportation, Engr. Muazu Sambo is trying hard to convince a large army of cynics among the maritime stakeholders who are apparently skeptical about the latest approval he secured from President Mohammad Buhari for the disbursement of the controversial Cabotage Vessel Financing Funds(CVFF).

Sambo broke the news of the approval in Lagos on Saturday, December, 10th, 2022 at the flag-off ceremony of the third phase of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme(NSDP).

Since what could have been the cheering news broke out, most of the stakeholders, especially the indigenous operators, who are the direct beneficiaries of the funds, scoffed at the approval, betraying a heavy dose of disbelief and skepticism apparently due to the long weary wait and delay for the disbursement of the funds for over 17 years.

Their cold attitude and skepticism were rooted in what they described as a vain but similar presidential approval which the immediate Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said he secured but never took off.

However, Sambo, who expressed undisguised passion and commitment towards the disbursement, said he was ready to stake his integrity and 35 years of civil service career to show the government’s genuineness and sincerity over the controversial disbursement of the loans.

”I don’t blame people for being skeptical or pessimistic. I can’t come in public and tell people lies.

”Hold me responsible if this fund is not disbursed. I am staking my integrity on approval granted by Mr President”, the Minister vowed.

He explained that the reason why the approval secured by his predecessor did not yield the desired result was due to what he called administrative challenges between the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Finance.

It would be recalled that Ameachi has then cried out that the disbursement of the funds was sabotaged by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Usman Zainab who he accused of laying landmines on the path of the disbursement.

”Under my predecessor who also secured presidential approval to disburse the funds but could not execute the approval was because of some administrative challenges which the Ministry of Transportation had with the Ministry of Finance.

”We have identified those gaps and ensured that in our prayers to Mr President, we addressed those gaps. So our prayers were all-encompassing” the Minister declared.

He revealed that five banks, Union bank, Polaris, Zenith, UBA and Jaiz banks were selected through a rigorous and transparent process as the primary lending institutions(PLIs) to drive the disbursement process.

He said that these banks were selected based on the criteria that were set out in the guidelines

Explaining the guidelines for the disbursement and eligibility of beneficiaries to access the loans, he said the process is anchored on two major planks: the coastal and shipping act which is the enabling law of 2003 otherwise known as the Cabotage Act and the second plank is the guidelines for the disbursement of the funds as approved by the National assembly.

”There are criteria surrounding the choice of the banks and these banks were recommended to Mr. President based on the guidelines which Mr President has approved”, the minister declared.

The minister also explained the steps to recover the loans as embedded in the guidelines for disbursement and eligibility.

”The guidelines are very clear. The applicants for the funds will make an equity contribution of 15 percent, NIMASA will contribute 35 percent while the PLIs, that is the disbursing banks will provide the balance of 50 percent.

”Other additional criteria for legibility will include but are not limited to such things as a contribution to the funds. Those who do not contribute to the funds as two percent of their contracts executed under the Cabotage as provided under the guidelines will not be eligible for the funds.

”Another condition to accessing the funds is the issue of ”off-taking”. If you do not want your loans to go bad, the easiest way to prevent this is to ensure that the applicant has off-takers for his vessels.

”He does this by showing you his contract, the banks carry out due diligence to verify that such a contract is true and genuine and irrevocable. That way, the banks will ensure that all the proceeds from such contracts go straight into the applicant’s loan account which will domicile with the PLIs. The banks call the process domiciliation of payment.

”So under a tripartite agreement, the domiciliation of payment will be guaranteed. So the proceeds from the off-taker on behalf of the beneficiary of the funds go straight into that loans account. That is the way we can guarantee that the loans will be paid back.

The minister said the applicants must have 50 per cent of the money they want to borrow.

”I, the permanent secretary and the incumbent NIMASA management are men and women of integrity and I don’t think any of us will want to be associated with bad loans.

”The other thing we are going to do is to make sure that we have an administrative structure in place. This will not take more than three days in such a way that loan applications are thoroughly and professionally scrutinised to prevent this money from being doled out as a largesse.

”Rather than be part of doling out the loans as largesse, I will reign my office. I cannot have spent 35 years of my life serving this country only to be messed up in one year.

”At my age, I think I want to go back to my creator with clean hands and a conscience”, the minister declared.

On his part, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh disclosed that the funds have naira component and dollar component.

According to him, the funds have acrued up to N16 billion in the naira component and $350million in dollar component.

The minister also disclosed that the presidential approval for the disbursement of the funds came to his office late Friday, December 9th, 2022 while attending a function in Lagos but chose to divulge the information at the flag off ceremony of the third phase of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme(NSDP) held on Saturday where the indeginious ship operators, who are the primary beneficiaries of the funds, would be in attendance and to show the nexus between the ceremony and the disbursement of the funds.

”On Monday,December 12th, 2022, the NIMASA DG will get formal communication from me conveying the approval of Mr President and I expect him to take immediate steps towards the disbursement process”, the Minister directed.

Related Topics:CVFF disbursement and my integrity featured

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Open Letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the need to assent to the Nigerian Shipping and Ports Economic Regulatory Agency(NSPERA) bill

By Elder Asu Beks

Mr President,on behalf of the Maritime Elders Forum and entire maritime stakeholders, i respectfully send you season’s greetings.

There is no doubt, Mr President, that 2025 has been one of the most turbulent and challenging years in the history of our nation.

From the wave of insecurity ,which you have tackled squarely,to the far reaching economic reforms which has translated to the tax reform bills , are all pointers to the fact that you are taking the challenges head on.

Mr President , your modest achievements in the Oil and Gas sector are also there for all to see.

From the bold decision to abolish fuel subsidy to the increase in daily production levels to an average 1.8m bpd ,from about 1mbpd daily output as at May ,2023, and the complete disapperance of fuel queues, it is certain, Mr President, that you are building a legacy of renewed hope, unprecedented in the life of our nation.

We cannot thank you enough, Mr President.

For us in the maritime sector, the most profound of your score card remains the creation of a specialised Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.

The demand for a Ministry to oversee Nigeria’s vast maritime domain is as old as Nigeria’s Independence.

For us as critical stakeholders, this couldnt have come at a better time.

In just two years of the creation of this specialised Ministry, Nigerians are already reaping bountifully from this innovative move.

Only last month,Nigeria won an election into the elusive category ” C” of the International Maritime Organisation, (IMO).

This victory is coming after nine unsuccessful attempts, spanning 14 years.

With this victory , which couldn’t have been posible without your fatherly role,our fortunes as one of the greatest maritime nations in sub saharan Africa has been solidified.

Mr President, another milestone recorded under your watch ,since the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy is the introduction of the game changing National Single Window platform which comes into effect in the first quarter of 2026.

The National Single Window is a trade facilitation tool designed to eliminate multiple entries by various regulatory bodies in business transactions in our seaports.

In other words, it is a digitalized platform that allows importers and exporters to submit all necessary documents, permits , and data to multiple government agencies through a single entry point.

Mr President, with these developments, you have etched your name as “the President who saw tomorrow” by demonstrating in concrete terms, the enormous potentials which this sector holds as your administration continues to look at a Nigeria beyond oil.

In this regard, Mr President ,we the Maritime Elders Forum urge you ,without delay to sign into law, the Nigerian Shipping and Port Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Bill .

The NPERA Bill aims to transform the Nigerian Shippers Council, (NSC) into a powerful, independent economic regulator for Nigeria’s Ports,creating a strong frame work for tariffs,fair competition and efficiency after port concession.

The Bill, a brain child of Dr Tajudeen Abass, Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, is aimed to fill the vacuum created by an absence of a regulatory agency in such a critical sector of our national economy ,as against other sectors such as banking, petroleum , energy and communication.

This critical Bill seeks to repeal the old Nigerian Shippers Council Act and empower the Council to manage port economic activities, boosting the Blue Economy.

Mr President, the laudable objectives of this Bill include;establishing an independent regulation to create a strong legally backed economic regulator for our ports; Control tariffs, charges and regulate port charges in such a manner as to prevent arbitrariness and ensure fairness; to promote fair competition by improving overall port operations and attract investment; Support the Blue Economy to align with our national goals for developing Nigeria’s Marine Economy.

Your Excellency Sir, this Bill was given an accelerated hearing ,and was passed by both chambers of the National Assembly on April 10, 2025 upon which it was forwarded to you for assent.

Mr President sir, the delay or your failure to assent to this Bill is coming at huge cost and has resulted in significant economic losses for Nigeria, primarily by perpetuating an unregulated and inefficient port system that has led to huge financial leakages that deter investment.

Mr President, sir, it is estimated that the nation is losing billions of dollars dailly to the absence of a strong legal frame work for port economic regulation.

We have on good authority, Mr President, that this obvious lack or absence of a regulated ports industry is also taking a huge toll on local and foreign investments as an estimated $250b is said to be lost annually, aside arbitrary charges by terminal operators and Shipping Lines .

In a nutshell, Mr President, the envisaged benefits of this brand new Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has been eroded on account of the absence of a legal regulatory frame work.

As it stands, sir ,a Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy without an Economic Regulator is akin to a football game without a referee.

it means anything goes and the out come of a game without an official umpire could be better imagined.

Mr President sir, consequently ,the time to sign the NPERA Bill is now.

Thank you Mr President for listening to this passionate appeal.

Let this be your new year present to Maritime Stakeholders.

ELDER ASU BEKS, CONVENER, MARITIME ELDERS FORUM, LAGOS

Headlines

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.