Sequel to the just concluded visit of the Norwegian Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Fisheries to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA, the agency has pledged to showcase Nigeria’s vast maritime potential to the investing public in the Norway.

This is line with measures being put in place to attract foreign investments into the country.

The agency would be showcasing these opportunities in the industry at the Norway Shipping Week that would hold later this year view to making them tap into them.

Director General of the agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside made this known when the Norwegian Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, Mr. Ronny Berg and the Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria Mr. Jens-Peter Kjemprud paid a courtesy visit to the NIMASA headquarters recently in Lagos.

According to him, Nigeria has a very rich maritime heritage, which should be showcased to the world in order to attract investments needed to develop and grow the local economy.

It was however gathered that the Minister of Transport Mr. Rotimi Amaechi would lead a delegation from Nigeria to grace the occasion and also meet relevant maritime stakeholders at the side lines of the event in Norway.

“The delegation, to be led by the Honourable Minister of Transport, will be holding series of meetings with maritime stakeholders during the Norway shipping week to discuss available opportunities in the Nigerian maritime industry”, the DG said.

Meanwhile, the Norwegian Deputy Minister of Trade said that Nigeria is Norway’s biggest trade partner on the continent of Africa hence the need to strengthen the ties through cooperation and collaboration.

According to the Norwegian Deputy Minister, “Norway has had trade ties with Nigeria since the 1890s when stock fish from Norway was shipped into Nigeria”.

It was also gathered that the Norwegian investors would be interested in investing in Nigeria especially the maritime industry.

This is in addition to supporting the Nigerian maritime authorities, especially NIMASA in delivering a safe maritime economy to the Nigerian nation.

Over the years, NIMASA had in a bid to advance the economic interest of the Nigeria’s maritime industry geared towards making it of a world -class standard, is undertaking some reforms.

The new DG of NIMASA had also since assumption of office one year ago, continued to seek collaborations both locally and internationally, which have yielded good dividends.

Currently, the management is implementing a wide range of medium and long term reforms aimed at making the agency a world-class maritime administration and the best in Africa.

NIMASA is the regulatory agency for the Nigerian maritime industry with vast functions spanning across shipping development, maritime safety and capacity development among several others as enshrined in the NIMASA Act, 2007 and other enabling enabling legislations including the Coastal and Inland Sipping CABOTAGE Act 2003.