Blue Economy
NIMASA Eyes Malta Registry Model to Overhaul Nigerian Ship Registration
NIMASA Eyes Malta Registry Model to Overhaul Nigerian Ship Registration
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News Correspondent
Nigeria’s foremost maritime regulatory agency has taken a significant step towards repositioning the Nigerian Ship Registry as a competitive force in global shipping, opening technical cooperation talks with one of the world’s most respected vessel registration authorities.
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has commenced strategic discussions with the Malta Ship Registry on technical cooperation, capacity building and knowledge transfer aimed at modernising Nigeria’s ship registration architecture and strengthening its standing in the international maritime community.
The talks were initiated on the sidelines of Posidonia 2026 in Athens, Greece, where NIMASA Director-General Dr. Dayo Mobereola held a bilateral meeting with Mr. Ivan Tabone, Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen of the Malta Ship Registry. The encounter brought together the heads of two registries at vastly different stages of global recognition — and signalled Nigeria’s determination to close that gap.
According to NIMASA, discussions centred on ship registration processes, regulatory efficiency, digital transformation and institutional best practices. Both parties explored pathways for structured collaboration that could enhance the efficiency, credibility and international appeal of the Nigerian Ship Registry.
Mobereola used the occasion to reaffirm NIMASA’s commitment to the full automation of the Nigerian Ship Registry in line with international standards — a reform he described as central to the agency’s broader modernisation agenda.
“We are building a transparent, technology-driven registry that will support the growth of Nigeria’s maritime industry and enhance its competitiveness in the global shipping market,” the Director-General stated.
He added that the reforms are designed to improve operational efficiency, encourage indigenous vessel registrations, attract foreign shipping investment and position Nigeria as a leading maritime hub on the African continent. The initiative, Mobereola noted, aligns with the strategic vision of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy under Minister Adegboyega Oyetola.
The choice of Malta as a knowledge partner is instructive. The Mediterranean island state operates the largest merchant shipping register in Europe and ranks among the top six globally by gross tonnage, with oversight of more than 9,500 vessels. The Malta Ship Registry has earned its reputation through efficient administration, a robust legal framework and strict compliance with international maritime conventions — precisely the attributes that have eluded the Nigerian registry for decades. The statement disclosing the engagement was issued by NIMASA’s Head of Public Relations, Osagie Edward.
Nigeria Watch
The NIMASA-Malta discussions arrive at a moment when the credibility and competitiveness of the Nigerian Ship Registry have become urgent policy concerns. For years, the registry has struggled to attract and retain vessel registrations — a weakness that has cost Nigeria both revenue and maritime prestige, while many Nigerian-linked vessels have sought registration under more established flags of convenience.
The automation agenda now being championed by Mobereola addresses a foundational problem: a registration system that has historically been paper-heavy, procedurally opaque and slow to respond to the commercial needs of shipowners. A digital, transparent registry would not only attract foreign tonnage but could significantly boost indigenous vessel registration — a key objective of the Cabotage Act and the broader localisation drive under Nigeria’s blue economy policy framework.
Malta’s participation as a technical partner is a credibility signal in itself. Registry administrators, international shipowners and classification societies pay close attention to the governance quality of flag states. If Nigeria can demonstrate that its reforms are anchored in globally validated practices — as Malta’s registry exemplifies — it stands a better chance of shifting perceptions and drawing vessels that currently bypass the Nigerian flag entirely.
The test, as always, will be in execution. Nigeria has announced registry reform ambitions before. What distinguishes the current effort will be the pace of implementation, the depth of institutional change and whether political will at the ministerial level translates into sustained operational reform at NIMASA. The Posidonia dialogue with Malta is a promising opening move — but the industry will be watching for concrete deliverables.
Waterways News | Nigeria’s Maritime & Blue Economy Publication
Blue Economy
Nigeria Eyes €59M EU Fisheries Programme to Tackle IUU Fishing, Strengthen Ocean Governance
Nigeria Eyes €59M EU Fisheries Programme to Tackle IUU Fishing, Strengthen Ocean Governance
Oyetola Meets EU Ambassador in Abuja; Seeks Technical Support for Surveillance and Enforcement
By Ighoyota Onaibre | Waterways News
Nigeria has signalled its intention to fully engage the €59 million West Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme (WASOP), as the Federal Government steps up efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and advance its blue economy agenda.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, disclosed this during a high-level meeting in Abuja on Thursday with the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Gautier Mignot, at which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening maritime cooperation across the Gulf of Guinea.
Dr. Oyetola described WASOP — a major EU-funded initiative spanning West African coastal states — as a timely framework for reinforcing Nigeria’s enforcement capacity, improving ocean governance, and driving sustainable exploitation of marine resources. He called on the EU to scale up technical assistance to Nigeria, particularly in fisheries monitoring, maritime surveillance systems, and enforcement infrastructure.
The Minister left no ambiguity about the scale of the challenge. IUU fishing, he warned, is not merely an environmental concern but a direct assault on national food security and the livelihoods of millions of coastal Nigerians. He described the scourge as a threat to national security and food sovereignty, demanding stronger international collaboration, more aggressive monitoring, and uncompromised enforcement to permanently dismantle illicit fishing operations in Nigerian waters.
Beyond fisheries, Dr. Oyetola urged the EU to broaden its support beyond traditional piracy control to encompass environmental crimes and human trafficking — calling for a more integrated approach to maritime security in the region. He also highlighted reform milestones under Nigeria’s National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, including improvements in port operations, logistics, and maritime security, while noting the government’s drive to expand maritime infrastructure and sharpen Nigeria’s competitiveness in global trade.
Ambassador Mignot, for his part, reaffirmed Brussels’ commitment to supporting safer and more sustainable oceans in West Africa. He outlined WASOP’s mandate — which covers integrated ocean governance, sustainable fisheries management, and protection of coastal and marine ecosystems — and indicated that the programme would strengthen coordination among coastal states and promote a more inclusive regional blue economy.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Mrs. Fatima Mahmood, and EU Head of Cooperation Massimo De Luca, were among senior officials present at the meeting.
Nigeria Watch
Thursday’s Abuja meeting is a significant diplomatic signal, arriving at a moment when Nigeria’s blue economy ambitions are increasingly colliding with the hard realities of resource depletion, weak enforcement, and institutional capacity gaps. The €59 million WASOP envelope represents one of the most substantial multilateral fisheries governance commitments in the West African sub-region in recent years, and Nigeria’s declared intention to fully leverage it is the right instinct.
Yet the country’s track record in translating international programme commitments into verifiable enforcement outcomes on the water remains a genuine concern. IUU fishing in Nigerian waters — particularly by foreign-flagged vessels exploiting surveillance blind spots — has persisted for years despite successive ministerial declarations. The critical test of this renewed EU engagement will not be measured in memoranda signed or delegations hosted, but in whether WASOP resources ultimately translate into more patrol vessels on the water, more prosecutions on the docket, and more fish in the nets of artisanal fishers along Nigeria’s 853-kilometre coastline.
Minister Oyetola’s push to widen the cooperation agenda beyond piracy — to include environmental crimes and human trafficking — reflects a more mature and realistic understanding of the interconnected nature of maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea. That framing deserves support from both the EU and Nigeria’s domestic institutions. The blue economy cannot be built on depleted seas.
Blue Economy
Afolabi Urges FG to Rescue Eastern Ports, Warns Tin Can Congestion Threatening Port Efficiency
Afolabi Urges FG to Rescue Eastern Ports, Warns Tin Can Congestion Threatening Port Efficiency
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News Reporter
The Chairman of SIFAX Group, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, has thrown his weight behind the urgent rehabilitation and capacity development of Nigeria’s eastern ports, warning that the Federal Government’s prolonged neglect of those facilities is placing unbearable strain on the Lagos port complex and undermining the country’s overall maritime competitiveness.
Afolabi made the call during a high-level courtesy visit by Dr. Akutah Pius Ukeyima, Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), to SIFAX Group’s corporate headquarters in Lagos.
Dr Taiwo Afolabi, Chairman SIFAX Group
Speaking frankly on the state of Nigeria’s port infrastructure, the maritime industry leader said years of federal inattention to eastern port assets have taken a measurable toll on cargo throughput efficiency across the country.
“My passionate appeal to the government is to extend the port modernisation initiative to the eastern ports. Economic activities at the ports are on the increase year on year,” Afolabi said, stressing that the bulk of that growth is being absorbed almost entirely by the Lagos ports — facilities that were never designed to carry such volumes.
He warned that the resultant pressure has pushed terminal infrastructure to breaking point, with congestion now routinely disrupting cargo flow and hiking costs for importers, exporters and logistics operators alike.
Afolabi was particularly pointed in his assessment of the Tin Can Island Port corridor, describing the gridlock along that axis as a recurring financial burden on businesses, a source of deep frustration for transporters, and a persistent drag on the wider economy.
To ease the crisis, he called on the Federal Government to invest in dredging operations at the Warri, Onne and Calabar ports, enabling larger vessels to safely berth at those facilities and divert traffic away from the already overstretched Lagos port system.
“This is the time for the government to resuscitate those ports in the eastern part of Nigeria. Government needs to dredge the Warri, Onne and Calabar ports so that large vessels can berth there safely and reduce the pressure on the Lagos ports,” he stated.
On his part, NSC’s Ukeyima praised the contributions of SIFAX Group to Nigeria’s maritime economy, describing the conglomerate as one of the country’s foremost maritime investors that has leveraged the industry’s value chain to drive significant national economic growth. He pledged that the Shippers’ Council would deepen its collaboration with SIFAX in the interest of advancing the sector.
NIGERIA WATCH: Tracking this story across government ministries, departments and agencies
Federal Ministry of Marine & Blue Economy — As the supervising ministry for Nigeria’s ports and waterways, the ministry bears direct responsibility for driving the port modernisation agenda that Afolabi says must be extended to eastern port locations including Warri, Onne and Calabar.
Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) — The NPA is the primary agency responsible for port infrastructure, channel maintenance and berth allocation across all Nigerian ports. Afolabi’s call for dredging at the eastern ports falls squarely within the NPA’s operational mandate.
Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) — Already engaged through the visit of its Executive Secretary Dr. Ukeyima, the NSC has a statutory role in protecting the commercial interests of cargo owners and ensuring port efficiency. The congestion crisis at Tin Can Island Port is a direct concern for the agency.
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) — As the regulatory body for maritime safety and shipping, NIMASA has oversight interest in ensuring that port channels — particularly at Warri, Onne and Calabar — are navigable and safe for deep-draught vessels.
Federal Ministry of Works — The chronic gridlock on the Tin Can Island Port access corridor is partly a road infrastructure problem. The ministry’s intervention is needed to complement any port-side decongestion efforts.
Federal Ministry of Finance / Budget & Economic Planning — Capital allocation for dredging operations and eastern port rehabilitation will require budgetary provisions. These ministries must prioritise funding for the port modernisation programme to extend beyond Lagos.
Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) — Any concession or private sector partnership arrangement for rehabilitating the eastern ports will require ICRC oversight and approval under Nigeria’s public-private partnership framework
Blue Economy
China Harbour Engineers Begin Feasibility Survey for Proposed Obeaku Seaport, Raising Hopes for South-East Maritime Corridor
China Harbour Engineers Begin Feasibility Survey for Proposed Obeaku Seaport, Raising Hopes for South-East Maritime Corridor
Technical team conducts bathymetric and hydrographic studies in Ukwa East as Abia State pushes to unlock inland port potential
By Onyinyechi Anoweh | Waterways News Correspondent | Aba, Abia State
A technical delegation from China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC), one of China’s foremost marine infrastructure and port construction firms, has formally commenced feasibility and hydrographic surveys for the long-proposed Obeaku Seaport in Abia State, in what state officials are describing as a defining moment for maritime development in Nigeria’s South-East geopolitical zone.
The survey team, accompanied by senior Abia State Government officials, visited the Ukwa East Local Government Area — the proposed site of the facility — to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the waterways in the area. Activities carried out during the inspection included bathymetric studies to determine water depths, navigational surveys to evaluate vessel access corridors, and environmental and hydrological assessments aimed at establishing the technical viability of developing a functional seaport at the location.
Community Backs Project, Donates Over 2,000 Plots of Land
The survey team was received by the traditional ruler of the host community, the Aku of Obeaku Kingdom, His Royal Highness Eze Ikeagwuchi Ekeke, who used the occasion to reaffirm the community’s unequivocal support for the project. Eze Ekeke disclosed that the Obeaku community has already donated in excess of 2,000 plots of land towards the project’s footprint — a gesture he described as a demonstration of the community’s commitment to seeing the port realised.
The monarch also raised a point of identity that carries broader symbolic weight: he insisted that the facility be officially designated as “Obeaku Seaport,” rather than “Azumini-Obeaku Seaport,” arguing that the naming should reflect the primary host community and affirm the people’s enduring stake in the project’s legacy.
Officials Hail Survey as Strategic Milestone
Abia State Government officials who accompanied the CHEC delegation characterised the commencement of the survey as a critical milestone in a project that has long featured in the state’s economic development aspirations. They noted that a commercially viable seaport at Obeaku would significantly stimulate economic activity across the state, generate employment across logistics, trade, and ancillary maritime services, and — crucially — position Abia State as a gateway hub for maritime commerce in the South-East.
The officials expressed confidence that the feasibility findings would validate the project’s commercial logic and accelerate movement towards the financing and construction phases.
Nigeria Watch
The proposed Obeaku Seaport, if brought to fruition, would represent a significant addition to Nigeria’s emerging inland and coastal port network — and a rare maritime infrastructure breakthrough for the South-East, a region that has historically been underserved by port and logistics infrastructure despite its commercial density and trade volumes.
China Harbour Engineering Company is no stranger to major Nigerian port projects. The firm has been involved in terminal and waterway infrastructure work across West Africa, and its presence here signals that the Abia State initiative is attracting serious commercial attention rather than remaining a political aspiration.
However, Nigeria’s port development landscape is littered with projects that completed feasibility stages without progressing to execution. The more consequential questions — who finances construction, on what terms, and under what regulatory framework — remain unanswered.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy will need to be closely involved if the project is to advance through licensing, environmental impact assessment, and port concession processes.
For Nigeria’s inland waterways sector, the survey also raises the question of dredging and navigational maintenance along the rivers feeding the proposed facility — a domain where the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) plays a central role. Sustained navigability will be as important as the port structure itself.
Waterways News will continue to monitor this project.
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