The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is gearing up to build on its 2025 successes, aiming to further solidify Nigeria’s position as a maritime powerhouse. The agency’s alignment with the Federal Government’s Blue Economy agenda, coupled with growing international recognition, has set a strong foundation for 2026. NIMASA’s Director General, Dayo Mobereola, emphasized that sustained reforms, robust stakeholder collaboration, and proactive global engagement will remain central to its operations.
Reviewing the agency’s activities in 2025, Osagie Edward, Deputy Director and Head of Public Relations, highlighted significant achievements. Operating under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, NIMASA sustained a reform-driven agenda focused on maritime safety and security, capacity development, regulatory efficiency, labor harmony, and international engagement. These efforts culminated in one of Nigeria’s most significant maritime achievements in recent history: the country’s successful return to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council after a 14-year absence.
President Bola Tinubu commended this achievement, noting that Nigeria’s return to the IMO Council aligns with his administration’s broader vision to unlock the nation’s blue economy potential, strengthen anti-piracy initiatives in the Gulf of Guinea, expand maritime infrastructure, and position the country as a regional shipping and logistics hub. The sustained zero piracy incidents in Nigerian waters were attributed to the effectiveness of the Deep Blue Project, which IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez commended and recommended as a model for other maritime nations.
NIMASA’s Port State and Flag State Control activities during the period under review were also effective, surpassing globally acceptable standards. On staff welfare and institutional strengthening, Edward noted significant progress through staff promotions, structured training programs, and targeted capacity-building initiatives. These measures improved career growth, professionalism, morale, and operational efficiency, strengthening NIMASA’s capacity to deliver on its statutory mandate.
In the area of human capacity development, Edward highlighted that the long-standing issue of sea-time placement for beneficiaries of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) is receiving attention, with efforts ongoing to clear existing backlogs. Dr. Kevin Okonna, Acting Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), commended NIMASA’s sustained support for maritime education and seafarer development, noting that the agency’s interventions have strengthened the training pipeline and improved the quality of maritime manpower.
On labor harmony and stakeholder confidence, Francis Bunu, President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), praised NIMASA for its constructive engagement with maritime labor, improved regulatory oversight, and commitment to policies that promote workers’ welfare, industry stability, and indigenous participation. Bunu also commended Director-General Mobereola for facilitating the successful unionization and signing of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between maritime workers and some shipping companies, which established clear working conditions for union members.
As NIMASA looks ahead to 2026, the agency’s strategic focus on reform, collaboration, and global engagement is poised to further enhance Nigeria’s maritime sector, solidify its global standing, and drive sustainable growth in the years ahead.