Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola

Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola restated the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring that its agencies adhere strictly to global safety standards, as Nigeria plans to join the rest of the world to commemorate the 2024 World Maritime Day with the theme: “Navigating the Future: Safety First”.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA, has assured that the agency is doing everything within its powers to ensure safety and security within the country’s maritime domain. 

The Minister noted that this year’s theme for World Maritime Day celebration is particularly relevant, as safety is a fundamental requirement for achieving a robust and business-friendly maritime sector.

“President Bola Tinubu’s administration is dedicated to ensuring that the Blue Economy makes a significant contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product GDP”, Oyetola said.

Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, who spoke on the issue, assured stakeholders and investors that Nigeria’s waters are safe for investment and pledged to create an enabling environment for growth in the sector.

“Safety is at the core of our mandate at NIMASA. Whether it is the safety of lives and property at sea or the safety of investments, we are forward-looking and committed to implementing government policies that will ensure a sustainable future for maritime industry in Nigeria”, Mobereola said,

President of the Association of Marine Engineers and Surveyors AMES, Engr. Israel Obada argued that the issue of safety cannot not be over-emphasised in the daily operations of Nigeria’s maritime sector.

The AMES president said: “As Surveyors, it is pertinent to state that the health of the vessels plying our waterways matters; because the classification of vessels plays a key role in assessing their overall health, which in turn impacts the maritime sector as a whole. This makes safety a priority in the sector, not only in Nigeria, but globally”.  

A member of the association, Engr. Emmanuel Ilori, reinforced the importance of prioritising safety. He added that they are eager to collaborate with the Agency, while also ensuring that all ships that ply Nigerian waters are safe, thereby enhancing the safety of lives and property. This aligns with the goals of the Blue Economy for a sustainable ocean.

World Maritime Day was first celebrated in 1978 to mark the 20th anniversary of the coming into force of the International Maritime Organisation IMO Convention. Since then, celebrations have taken place worldwide to highlight the importance of shipping safety, maritime security, and the marine environment, while emphasizing specific aspects of the IMO’s work.

Nigeria’s commemoration of World Maritime Day 2024 is scheduled to take place in Lagos on Thursday, September 26, 2024. The Minister, Oyetola, along with all the agencies under the Ministry are expected to addend the event.