The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has announced stricter enforcement of statutory requirements governing indigenous participation in Nigeria’s Cabotage trade and maritime activities.
The agency disclosed this in a Marine Notice issued pursuant to its mandate to enforce the NIMASA Act 2007, the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003, as well as relevant Cabotage regulations and implementation guidelines.
Under the new enforcement regime, persons and entities requiring vessels for Cabotage operations must use vessels that comply with Nigerian ownership, registration, manning and construction requirements and are duly registered in the Special Register for Vessels and Ship Owning Companies Engaged in Cabotage.
NIMASA also directed vessels, owners, operators, charterers, managers and other stakeholders involved in Cabotage activities to maintain valid statutory certificates, licences, registrations and other mandatory documentation.
According to the agency, Cabotage vessels are, where applicable, required to be wholly owned by Nigerian citizens, registered in the relevant Special Register, manned by Nigerians and constructed in Nigeria.
It said deployment of vessels that do not meet the prescribed requirements would only be considered where the required Nigerian capacity was unavailable and the applicable statutory conditions had been established and verified by NIMASA.
The agency said it would intensify monitoring of compliance with the Cabotage Act, its regulations and applicable guidelines to strengthen maritime governance and ensure that employment opportunities reserved for Nigerians are not outsourced.
The Marine Notice, which takes immediate effect, reinforces NIMASA’s commitment to promoting indigenous participation in local and international shipping, developing domestic maritime capacity and ensuring that Cabotage operations contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic development.
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