Blue Economy
NIMASA Warns of Urgent Ecological Threats to Nigeria’s Offshore Waters
NIMASA Warns of Urgent Ecological Threats to Nigeria’s Offshore Waters
Nigeria’s offshore environment is facing urgent ecological threats that pose grave risks to marine ecosystems, navigational safety, and public health, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has warned.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ sensitization programme on Offshore Waste Reception Facilities in Port Harcourt on thursday, NIMASA’s Executive Director, Operations, Fatai Adeyemi, emphasised that while the offshore environment remains vital to Nigeria’s economy by powering industries and creating livelihoods, the environmental challenges from offshore operations demand immediate action.
The programme, themed “NIMASA’s Responsibilities and Statutory Obligation to Provide Offshore Waste Reception Facilities,” highlighted the agency’s commitment to environmental sustainability as Nigeria seeks to maximise opportunities in the blue economy.
“This programme underscores NIMASA’s unwavering commitment to promoting environmental sustainability and operational safety within Nigeria’s maritime sector,” Adeyemi said.
He explained that the objective is to increase awareness and strengthen collaboration among all stakeholders—operators, regulators, service providers, and community representatives—to ensure waste reception and disposal practices meet the highest environmental standards.
“By doing so, we are not only protecting our oceans but also aligning with global best practices and international maritime regulations. The responsibility to safeguard our marine environment rests on all of us, and through concerted action, we can achieve a safer, cleaner, and more sustainable offshore environment,” he stressed.
Adeyemi assured stakeholders of NIMASA’s commitment to an enduring Blue Economy that emphasises conformity with international best practices as enshrined in various laws and global standards.
NIMASA’s Director in charge of Marine Environment Management, Dimowo Heaky, described the programme as a significant step in the collective journey towards preserving ocean health and resilience while reinforcing shared commitment to eliminating intentional marine pollution.
“Our singular mission is to equip every stakeholder with the knowledge and best practices needed to ensure that harmful waste does not find its way into our waters,” Heaky said.
He noted that all forms of ship-borne waste—from oily residues and sewage to garbage and noxious liquids—pose threats to marine ecosystems, coastal communities, and the global climate.
“By understanding the design, operation, and strategic placement of Offshore Waste Reception Facilities, we can transform policy into practice and compliance into culture,” he added, emphasising that MARPOL is more than an international convention but “a pact between humanity and the oceans that sustain us.”
Wellington Agharese, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of XPO Marine, the concessionaire for Eastern Region Offshore Waste Reception Facilities, highlighted the region’s importance to Nigeria’s offshore oil and gas activities.
As the concessionaire entrusted with offshore waste management under the MARPOL Convention for Nigeria’s Eastern Region, Agharese said the initiative represents not just an operational mandate, but a collective commitment to safeguarding the marine environment while enabling sustainable offshore energy development.
“With that comes the responsibility to ensure that exploration and production do not compromise the health of our waters, our coastal communities, or our global reputation as a responsible energy-producing nation,” he said.
Agharese stressed that ensuring compliance with standards cannot be achieved in isolation, calling for increased collaboration among all stakeholders in the maritime sector.