NIMASA Increases Inspection By 43.6%, Generates N37.69bn in 2021

Temitope Adebayo

Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has announced an increase of 43.6 per cent in safety and security which is in accordance with safety requirements of the Merchant Shipping Act 2007 by 43.6 per cent in 2021. its shipping inspection with revenue generation of N37, 691,630,450.02 in 2021.

The Director-General, Dr Bashir Jamoh, stated this in a press briefing on the agency’s achievements in 2021 in Lagos.

Jamoh added that the consolidated revenue contributed to the federation account in 2020 was N31, 839,917,978.20, adding that the year 2021 saw the agency paying to the federal government N37,691,630,450.02 and “this is from levies and others.

He stated that the agency was responsible for the function on safety, security and marine environment management issues, citing Flag State implementation, to inspect and survey vessels in accordance with safety requirements of the Merchant Shipping Act 2007.

“Under that survey, we have what we call Condition Survey, which is to ascertain the actual position and condition of our own vessels.

“Compared with the number of vessels surveyed with the flag registration of the previous years, in 2021, we surveyed 489 vessels, which is 43.6 per cent higher than the total number of condition survey carried out in 2020 which was 276.

“This indicates maritime administration’s seriousness in terms of flag state survey even with the global pandemic issues,” he said.

He also revealed that for port state control implementation, comparing years 2020 to 2021, it was observed that 2021 recorded 675 vessels which is 24.2 per cent higher than the total number of inspections carried out in 2020 which was 510 vessels.

The DG also disclosed that for 2022, the agency is focused on strengthening maritime safety mechanisms, organising stakeholders’ engagement, increase revenue contribution, adding that it believes the N37 billion generated is not its milestone alone and that it is working hard to ensure it gets to the “promised land.”

According to him, the agency is launching a floating dock to be operational in the first quarter of 2022 on Public-Private Partnership (PPP), which would be used for ship repairs.

“The dock will not be solely operated by government or NIMASA. We have handed it in for a public-private partnership.

“As usual, the issue of privatisation of any government property goes through processes, and the floating dock is undergoing those processes.

“The Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) was here to give us the first certificate, telling us that privatising the modular floating dock is bankable, doable and profitable.”