Jamoh: Inter-agency Collaboration Surest Route to Maritime Security

·        Visits Comptroller-General of Immigration

Intensifying the quest for cooperation among relevant government agencies in a bid to secure Nigeria’s maritime domain, the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, has visited Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammed Babandede, in Abuja, with a declaration that teamwork was the surest means to security.  

Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammed Babandede making a presentation to the Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh during a working visit by NIMASA DG and his team to the NIS in Abuja recently.

 

L-R: Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh; Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammed Babandede; Executive Director, Maritime Labour & Cabotage Services of NIMASA, Barr. Victor Ochei and a senior officer in the Nigeria Immigration Service, during a working visit by NIMASA to the NIS in Abuja recently.

Jamoh, who was at the NIS headquarters on a working visit, said the immigration service was a critical stakeholder in the security apparatus of the country. He said the service was also key in the implementation of the Cabotage law, which seeks to empower Nigerians in the maritime sector.  

The Director-General stated, “We need to interface and synergise to achieve our common goal of national security. Immigration is key to the success of the country’s maritime imperatives in many ways.

“Many of the criminal activities that take place in our waters emanate from land, and NIS is a very important element in any effort to nip such crimes in the bud.”

Jamoh added, “Collaboration with the NIS is crucial in the achievement of the objectives of the Cabotage Act. Such partnership will go a long way in reducing inter-agency conflicts that often arise from the overlap of functions.

“There are provisions in the immigration law, for instance, that empower the NIS to grant work permits to expatriates, and some of these expatriates work as seafarers. But, then, according to one of the four legs of the Cabotage regime, expatriates are not meant to man our ships, except where their expertise is needed for such operation. And their services can only be engaged after a waiver has been granted by the exclusive permission of the Minister of Transportation.

“To avoid any conflicts that may arise from a situation, where, for instance, a seafarer had obtained a work permit from the immigration but is not qualified to function as a seafarer within the Nigerian maritime domain, collaboration between NIMASA and NIS is necessary. This will help to harmonise the seemingly overlapping laws and forestall unnecessary rancour or squabbling among officers of the two agencies.”

Jamoh said NIMASA was currently enjoying such synergy with sister organisations, like the Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police, and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).  

“So far, we have recorded tremendous successes in our various mandates through such collaboration,” he said. “One of the most notable is the recent arrest of suspected pirates, which was made possible by information and intelligence sharing.”

Responding, Babandede expressed the readiness of the NIS to partner with NIMASA to curb illegal migration and piracy. He disclosed that NIS had started making use of the Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS), a comprehensive border management information system developed by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). The Comptroller-General said MIDAS was designed with the capability to collect, process, store, and analyse traveller information, especially the biometrics and profile, in real time for the purpose of identification, verification, and authentication of documents.

He said MIDAS had been installed in about 24 locations across the country’s land borders, airports, and seaports. They include the International airports in Abuja, Enugu, Lagos, and Kano; and land borders in Ogun, Cross River, Kastina, Jigawa, Kebbi, and Zamfara states.

Jamoh was accompanied on the visit by NIMASA’s Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Victor Ochei, and Abuja Zonal Office Coordinator, Mr. Zailani Musa Attah.

NIMASA GOVERNING BOARD APPROVES THE PROMOTION OF 9 DIRECTORS, 586 OTHERS

NIMASA GOVERNING BOARD APPROVES THE PROMOTION OF 9 DIRECTORS, 586 OTHERS

Dr. Bashir Jamoh

DG. Nimasa

The Governing Board of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has approved the promotion of 595 staff, including nine Directors. The promotions were approved at a meeting of the Board in Lagos chaired by Hon. Asita O. Asita.

Nine Deputy Directors were elevated to substantive Directors on Grade Level 17, while 45 Assistant Directors were promoted to Deputy Directors, and 71 Grade Level 14 officers were promoted to Assistant Directors.

Those promoted to Directors are the Agency's Head, ISPS Unit, Jidda Aishatu; Head, Marine Accident Investigation Unit, Egbuche Rita; Head, Eastern Zone, Audu Sani; and Head, Internal Audit, Olamide Odusanya.

Others are Head, HSE Unit, Dr. Anselm Nwanze; Head, Legal Services Unit, Egejuru Victor; Head, SERVICOM, Bolaji Kehinde; Head, Reform Coordination Unit, Kabiru Murnai; and Head, Marine Environment Management Department, Dr. Felicia Mogo.

The Agency’s spokesman, Phillip Kyanet, is among the newly promoted Deputy Directors.

Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, congratulated the promoted staff and charged them to bring their wealth of knowledge and experience to bear on their new positions.

Jamoh stated, “To whom much is given, much is expected. This promotion is intended to reinvigorate the attitude of staff to work and bring about more commitment towards transforming the fortunes of the maritime sector.”

He added that well-motivated staff are the driving force for the maritime industry transformation for economic development.

NIMASA Assures Dockworkers of Improved Welfares

·        Meets NJIC on Collective Bargaining Agreement

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has assured stakeholders of its commitment to the protection of the rights and welfare of dockworkers as guaranteed in the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Decent Work Agenda. The Agency’s Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Victor Ochei, gave the assurance in Lagos during a meeting of the National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC).

L-R: President General, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Adewale Adeyanju; Rep of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr. Charles Okaga; Rep of Chairman, Seaports Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Otunba Kunle Folarin, Executive Director, Maritime Labour  & Cabotage Services (ED ML&CS), NIMASA, Mr. Victor Ochei; Rep of Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment, Mrs Joyce Udoinwang and President, National Association of Stevedoring Companies, Mr Bolaji Sunmola during the National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC) meeting on the Collective Bargaining Agreement for dock workers held in Lagos recently.  

The meeting discussed a revised minimum wage and improved living standard for dockworkers through the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) initiative endorsed by NIMASA and NJIC in 2018.

Ochei stated, “Dockworkers are integral to efficient and effective stevedoring operation and the NJIC has remained resolute in ensuring harmonious working relationships through the principle of tripartism and the execution of Collective Bargaining Agreements on minimum standards for the dock labour industry.”

Ochei, who is also Chairman of NJIC, extoled the efforts of the dockworkers to keep the maritime industry afloat, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. He said NIMASA was determined to ensure the dockworkers got what was due to them. 

The Executive Director called on the council members to cooperate with NIMASA towards ensuring meaningful negotiations that would culminate in the signing of another CBA. He stated that the Agency had made necessary arrangements for successful council proceedings.

He added that the success of the exercise would further demonstrate Nigeria’s compliance and commitment to the ideals of the ILO Decent Work Agenda, which seeks to promote safe work, decent wage, and freedom of association.

The representative of the Federal Ministry of Labour, Mrs. Joyce Udoinwang, expressed the Ministry’s commitment to the welfare of dockworkers, assuring of its resolve to ensure no dockworker in Nigeria is short-changed. Udoinwang appealed for more cooperation from all the parties involved in the tripartite agreement. 

President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, in his own remarks, commended NIMASA for midwifing the CBA, saying it has ensured industrial harmony and peace in the maritime industry. Adeyanju disclosed that the NJIC would reconvene in the next few weeks to deliberate and agree on new wages for dockworkers. He called for the cooperation of the terminal operators and employers of dock labour to ensure the attainment of the Decent Work Agenda.

“So far so good, the terminal operators and employers of dock labour are doing their best, but so much can still be done to better the welfare of their workers,” Adeyanju said.

Speaking also at the meeting, the representative of the Seaports Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Otunba Kunle Folarin, applauded NIMASA for its role over the years to promote peace and harmonious labour relations in the industry. Folarin said NJIC would cooperate with the Agency to sustain peace and sanity at the ports.  

Other members of the NJIC, who were at the meeting, included the representative of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr. Charles Okaga, and President of National Association of Stevedoring Companies (NASC), Mr. Bolaji Sunmola. Both assured of their support towards improved welfare for seafarers. 

It would be recalled that in 2018, NJIC signed a Collective Bargaining Agreement with NIMASA that elapsed on May 31, 2020. The CBA, which is for a two-year period, is intended to ensure industrial peace in the maritime industry. It involves requirements for the fair treatment of dockworkers, principally, making sure every employee gets an employment letter and a package of terminal benefits when their contract expires.

Antipiracy War: Nigeria Secures Premier Conviction under SPOMO ACT

Antipiracy War: Nigeria Secures Premier Conviction under SPOMO ACT

The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has convicted three persons accused of involvement in the hijack of an Equatorial Guinean flagged vessel named, MV ELOBEY VI, off Equatorial Guinea's coast on March 21.

DR. BASHIR JAMOH

DG. NIMASA

Delivering judgement, Justice Mohammed Sani summarily convicted Binaebi Johnson, Daniel Lemmar and Ghane Gordon on Counts 1 and 2 and they were ordered to pay a fine of N20 million each under the new Antipiracy Act 2019.

The Nigerian Navy had arrested nine persons, namely, Binaebi Johnson, Daniel Lemmar, Ghane Gordon, Hassan Hakeem, Gregory Smith, Ofem Uket, John Mark, Chidi Amadi and Eze Amadi, who were suspected to be members of the kidnapping syndicate. They were said to have demanded a $2 million ransom out of which $200,000 was eventually paid.

During the proceedings in the court on August 10, Binaebi Johnson, Daniel Lemmar and Ghane Gordon pleaded guilty to counts 1 and 2 and not guilty to counts 3 – 5 while the remaining 6 accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, described the conviction as a signal that Nigeria is in the right path in the war against piracy and other crimes on the nation’s waterways.

Jamoh said NIMASA as an interested party will continue to work closely with other agencies of government, the international community, and other stakeholders to achieve improved security in the Gulf of Guinea.

The Director-General stated, “This will serve as a deterrent to other criminal elements who are still engaged in the nefarious activities on our waterways. On our part as an agency, we will not relent on our efforts to ensure a safe and secure maritime domain in line with our mandate.

“The Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Crimes (SPOMO) Act 2019 has come to stay and it is victory for Nigeria as a whole as we are determined more than ever before to take our rightful place in the comity of maritime nations.”

The prosecution counsel, Labaran Magaji, who spoke to newsmen outside the court, said the judgement was a landmark victory for the antipiracy law. “They were charged under Section 16 (4) of the antipiracy law and once the charge was read to them, they pleaded guilty and the prosecution actually applied to the court to summarily convict them to pay a fine of N20 million each and only three of the defendants were actually sentenced,” Magaji said.

The conviction is the first since the signing into law of the SPOMO Act in June last year by President Muhammadu Buhari.

 

 

MARITME: NIGERIAN SEAPORTS SET TO COMMENCE 24 HOURS OPERATION

MARITME: NIGERIAN SEAPORTS SET TO COMMENCE 24 HOURS OPERATION

·        As Heads of Maritime Agencies Agree To Implement Intermodal Transport For Port Efficiency 

Heads of maritime agencies in Nigeria have agreed to work on modalities for a quick commencement of 24 hours operation at the ports. Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, disclosed this on Tuesday in Lagos while briefing the media after the second edition of the monthly meeting of heads of maritime parastatals, held at the NIMASA headquarters. 

LR: Executive Secretary, Nigeria Shippers Council, Bar. Hassan Bello, Managing Director, Nigerian Inland Water Ways, Bar. George Moghalu, Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, and the Registrar of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria Barr. Sam Nwakohu during the meeting of Heads of Maritime Parastatals held at NIMASA Headquarters in Lagos, on Tuesday

Jamoh said the meeting discussed issues bordering on maritime safety and security, port efficiency, intermodal transportation, as well as synergy among agencies in the sector. He said the forum of CEOs of the agencies had given the maritime industry a platform to grow and contribute more to Nigeria's economic development.

According to him, “This meeting is the second in the series and it has started yielding positive fruits. For instance, the issue of berthing the NIMASA floating dock, which has lingered for a couple of years, has been resolved through this meeting and very soon it would be deployed for use. ” 

The NIMASA DG stated that the heads of agencies agreed to play their respective roles to facilitate the operation of 24 hours hours a day, seven days a week port services. He said this would help to decongest the ports and tremendously impact on the Ease of Doing Business initiative of the Federal Government. 

Jamoh said the meeting constituted a committee to produce a work plan for the 24-hour port system, and agreed to carry communities around the port environments along in order to ensure safe operations within the port vicinities and beyond. 

He stated, “We are looking at the workability of 24-hour port services to ease the pressure on our ports in terms of congestion. We also agreed to work with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) on how movement of cargoes from the ports can be done by rail to reduce the pressure on our roads. 

“Our focus is also to ensure containers are moved by barges to dry ports outside the port environments. All these would help in the efficiency and effectiveness of our ports. ”

Speaking at the session, Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, also emphasizes the need for intermodal transport system in and around the port environments. Usman said Nigeria must prioritize intermodal transportation to reap the benefits of shipping and port activities.She said the heads of maritime agencies agreed to work with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to facilitate movement of cargo from the ports by rail.

Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Dr. George Moghalu, said safety formed a major part of the discussion.  Moghalu said all the maritime agencies had agreed to work together to rid the Nigerian waters of unsafe craft and practices that endanger passengers and other users of the waterways.   

Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers' Council, Mr. Hassan Bello, said the new synergy among the heads of maritime agencies was a significant building block for efficient economic activities within the country's maritime domain. Bello said the ultimate aim was to make Nigeria a maritime hub in Africa through efficient and effective maritime operations and infrastructure.

The monthly meeting, which was the second in the series, was also attended by Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers' Council, Mr. Hassan Bello; Registrar, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarders in Nigeria (CRFFN), Mr. Sam Nwakohu; and Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Commodore Duja Emma Effedua (rtd), who joined via zoom.

NIMASA Reiterates December Deadline for Single-hull Tanker Ban

·        Secures approval for CVFF disbursement

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has restated that the country remains steadfast in its decision to stop the use of single-hull tankers by December 31 this year. Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, stated this on Thursday in Lagos during a meeting with the Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN).

Dr. Bashir Jamoh

DG. NIMASA

Jamoh also announced that NIMASA had secured approval for the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF). He said only the fine details of the scheme were being considered before commencement of pay-out.

The meeting, held virtually, was hosted by the Agency at its headquarters.

Jamoh said, “We are committed to the complete phase-out of single-hull tankers by December 31. Operators still using this type of tanker should make adequate preparation to comply because there will be no going back on this decision.

“We have discussed the timeline for discontinuing the use of single-hull tankers and were given five years to comply with the ban, which is, to all intents and purposes, a generous allowance.” 

The Director-General described shippers as “the beacon and hub of any developing economy,” saying, “The journey to success for the current management of NIMASA depends on the shipowners. We shall continue to pursue our functions of promoting and regulating shipping in collaboration with shipowners and all relevant stakeholders.”

Responding to the shipowners’ concerns about the CVFF, Jamoh stated that the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, had approved the disbursement of the fund, meant to assist operators in the acquisition of maritime assets.

“Only the details are being discussed with a view to avoiding former mistakes and ensuring effective and efficient utilisation of the fund,” the Director-General stated.

He added, “We have also submitted proposals to the Minister to seek fiscal and monetary incentives for our shipowners.”

Many of the country’s major shipowners participated in the webinar, including the SOAN President, Dr. Mkgeorge Onyung; First Vice President, Mr. Eno Williams; Iro Ogbeifun of Starzs Marine and Engineering Limited; Emeka Ndu of C&I Leasing Plc; Kameel Najjar; and Oviebo Ambros.

NIMASA had in 2015 revised the timetable for the phase-out of single-hull tankers operating in Nigeria. This followed the decision of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to extend its deadline for ban on single-hull tankers for certain categories of tankers not engaged in international trade. NIMASA utilised the IMO extension window to shift the final phase-out date for single-hull oil tankers to December 31, 2020.

IMO’s Revised Regulation of Annex 1 to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) required flag administrations to phase out Category 2 and 3 single-hull tankers by 2015. But it extended the deadline for some tankers not engaged in international trade owing to the difficulty in achieving wholesale fleet replacement.

 

 

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE NIGERIAN MARITIME INDUSTRY

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE NIGERIAN MARITIME INDUSTRY

PICTURE CREDIT: SERGIO SOUZA

Over the years, the maritime industry has given especially in the area of marine transportation which has made the movement of cargoes of any size and volume possible. This has positively impacted global trade and global logistics value chain.

From statistics carried out by Vessel and co, it can be found that over 90% of world cargo merchandise/trade by volume is carried by seas and from statistics by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), it is observed that over 60% of all maritime activities in west Africa is generated by Nigeria only.

In 2019 report by NIMASA tagged “Nigerian Maritime Industry forecast 2019-2020” described the Nigerian ports as an enabler of economic growth and prosperity and urged Nigerians entrepreneurs to key into the numerous investment opportunities in the Nigerian Maritime Industry.

The investment opportunities includes the following:

1.   SHIP FINANCING:

Shipping is capital intensive because the maritime assets needed are government intervention in this area to provide soft interest long-term loans in the industry.

This also provides an opportunity for the financial sector to key in and provide this finance for prospective investors.

A prospective investor can seek innovative financing modules and other sources of funding away from traditional models

Capital market remains the most important financing option for the enhancement as well as the promotion of shipping business growth and creation of corporate value.

This opportunity for finance house can however be achieved with adequate evaluation and provisioning for risk, appropriate leverage levels and use of financing structures suitable for the Nigerian Maritime Industry.

 

2.   SHIP BUILDING AND REPAIRS

NIMASA has a department solely dedicated to ship building. In 2019-2020 maritime industry forecast as carried out by NIMASA, the maritime industry holds the key to diversifying the economy away from oil and gas, after all there are countries like the Philippines who solely depend on maritime for the bulk of their income.

 

The dependency on maritime in Nigeria calls for more tankers, vessels and the like. The amount currently operating is not enough and more investment is needed.

 

This calls for spirited entrepreneurs to seize the opportunity and invest in ship building and repairs.

 

This sub-sector, remains under-developed and has the potentials of reducing capital flight, because ship owners will not have to repair their ships outside the shores of Nigeria.

 

This is also supported by the cabotage law of Nigeria and there are so many areas entrepreneurs can explore which includes building and repair of barges, merchant ship, dredger, self-propelled barge, floating vessels, lift boat, patrol vessel, jack up barge, crew/supply vessel and many more.

 

Other opportunities that can be explored include human capacity building, technology and funding.

 

With over 3,500 vessels operating in the Nigerian waters, dry-docking remains a critical area of business because many of these boats are dry-docked and repaired outside the shore of Nigeria. This business opportunity must be explored by Nigerian entrepreneurs.

 

3.   MARINE INSURANCE:

The role of insurance in any business cannot be over emphasized because insurance has the ability to mitigate the impact of risks in any business. Insurance also correlate with economic growth because entrepreneurs would be willing to take more risks.

An overview of the insurance business in Nigeria shows that marine insurance is one of the lucrative insurance business in Nigeria, only second to motor insurance.

 

Even at that, the marine insurance business is one of the under-developed and needs more investors as huge opportunities abound in the sector.

 

4.   RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

In any area of life or business, you can never use up creativity, the more you use, the more you have.

 

This is the reason why research and development is necessary in any human endeavour, even in the maritime industry.

 

New approaches and innovations are taking place globally and this calls for the need for entrepreneurs to seize investment opportunities by setting up training and research centres to scale up activities in the maritime sector.

 

5.   LAW OF SEA EXPERTS

The maritime industry on the existing laws of the land coupled with other maritime laws both locally and internationally.

 

This calls for experts or prospective lawyers to seize the numerous opportunities in the industry. Apart from soliciting, opportunities also abound in providing legal documents.

 

6.   MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT

In the 2019 – 2020 forecast by NIMASA, there are plans by the government to float a National vessels that would compete with other vessels internationally.

To achieve this feat, there needs to be an intensive manpower training because the availability of manpower is crucial to the development of the maritime sector.

If done well, the establishment may begin to see influx from student all around the world.

This will lead to employment generation, sea-time for cadets and competitive cost of doing business. 

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DOING MARITIME TRANSPORTATION BUSINESS IN NIGERIA.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DOING MARITIME TRANSPORTATION BUSINESS IN NIGERIA.

                                                PHOTO CREDIT: FRANK MCKENNA

The Nigerian maritime industry is estimated to worth over 10 billion dollars annually and pose a huge potential and robustness if properly harnessed.

From a glance it could look challenging but its potential should attract any experienced entrepreneur. The various segments potential entrepreneurs can tap into include ship operations, cargo importation and various support services which span the supply chain.

There are two identifiable operations that any entrepreneur can key into and these include;

v There’s an active coastal shipping environment in which imported petroleum products must be trans-shipped daily from mother ships to daughter ships and transported from offshore locations to terminals and jetties in the hinterlands.

 

v There’s a robust fleet of offshore support vessels that operate offshore operations in oil exploration and production.

As the years go by, the Nigerian maritime industry is expending more and more and should attract any seasoned investors. For instance, international oil companies must regularly update their work plans to reflect the vessel employment needs for their operations with date suggesting that there is an annual spend of approximately 3 billion dollars on offshore supply Vessels in Nigeria.

Any potential investor in Nigerian maritime space must conform to a range of regulation often updated by NIMASA.

They must understand the Nigerian cabotage laws and must navigate important compliance issues, which includes the nature of registration and the flag state of operation.

In early 2019 Nigerian Maritime Administration & safety Agency (NIMASA) issued new guidelines on the granting of waiver but this has been abolished by the current administration.

A potential investor must also understand & review fiscal obligations and options available for a smooth vessel importation and best approach to participation.

The would-be investor must consider the appropriate structures of operation, safety and safety issues and a great knowledge of marine environmental management.

Currently, there are no financing option from either the public or the private sector, but the management of NIMASA, headed by Dr. Braimoh Jamoh is putting things in place to make that feasible.

Given the high levels of foreign participation, the reality on ground is not as bad as it seems. However, it is important to seek professional guideline in navigating this environment which NIMASA can gladly provide.