Nigeria’s maritime regulator has begun a review of its priorities for the next three years, with its director-general warning senior officials that recent gains in maritime security and international recognition will count for little unless they translate into measurable improvements.

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) held a two-day senior management strategy session in Lagos to review its Medium-Term Strategic Plan covering September 2025 to August 2028.

Director-General Dayo Mobereola told management staff that the agency must focus on measurable results, clear responsibilities and deadlines rather than simply recording new initiatives.

The session comes as Nigeria seeks to strengthen its position as a major maritime hub in the Gulf of Guinea, a region where security, port efficiency and shipping costs have direct consequences for trade.

Security gains

NIMASA said Nigeria has recorded four consecutive years without a reported piracy incident in its territorial waters.

The agency also pointed to Nigeria’s election into Category C of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) after 14 years and the lifting of a 12-year Condition of Entry imposed by the United States Coast Guard on vessels originating from Nigerian ports and bound for the US.

These developments have strengthened Nigeria’s standing in international shipping, although the absence of reported piracy incidents does not by itself resolve wider maritime-security risks.

Mobereola urged staff to consolidate the progress rather than assume it will continue automatically.

“Sustaining and building on these gains requires a more disciplined, performance-driven approach, and the decisions we take here will not only shape our internal processes but also impact the broader trajectory of Nigeria’s maritime sector.”

NIMASA also said Nigeria accounts for more than 47% of all port calls in the Gulf of Guinea, a figure it used to underline the country’s importance to regional maritime trade.

The agency did not provide a breakdown of the port-call figure in the statement, so the basis and timeframe for the statistic require further verification.

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What is changing at NIMASA?

The strategy session will focus on how the agency implements reforms already under way, including the automation of the Nigerian Ship Registry and its workflow systems.

NIMASA also listed the review of the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) framework and the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) among its reforms.

The CVFF has attracted particular attention over the years because Nigerian operators have long called for access to the fund to improve their ability to acquire and operate vessels.

The agency’s latest strategy therefore matters beyond its internal administration. Decisions on maritime regulation, financing, certification and safety can affect Nigerian shipowners, seafarers, port users and businesses that depend on sea freight.

Mobereola told managers that the strategy session should produce practical commitments rather than broad policy statements.

“We must be sincere in discussing our current realities, focused in prioritizing the areas that truly move the needle and what we need to do to make progress in those areas as well as being accountable to ensure that every outcome from this session must translate into clear ownership, timelines, and measurable results.”

He added:

“This is a good place for constructive engagement where ideas can be challenged, refined, and transformed into actionable strategies. The strength of this Agency lies in our collective expertise, and we must leverage that fully.”

Why the three-year plan matters

Nigeria relies heavily on maritime transport for international trade, making the efficiency and security of its ports important to importers, exporters and consumers.

Persistent concerns around port congestion, shipping costs, regulatory delays and the competitiveness of Nigerian shipping operators have made maritime reform a recurring government priority.

The federal government established the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in 2023 under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with the sector positioned as an area for economic diversification and increased investment.

NIMASA operates within that broader policy framework and is responsible for maritime safety and administration, shipping development and the implementation of key aspects of Nigeria’s maritime laws.

The agency’s challenge now is to demonstrate that institutional reforms can produce improvements that users of the maritime sector can actually see.

From reform announcements to measurable results

Mobereola described the current period as a major transformation for NIMASA and listed several reforms that he said would alter how the agency operates.

“We are not merely improving processes; we are building a new foundation for efficiency, transparency, innovation and international recognition. The automation of the Ship Registry, the review of STCW, the disbursement of the CVFF, the automation of our workflow system, and several other reforms are initiatives that will fundamentally change the way we operate and how Nigeria is perceived globally.”

Those claims will ultimately need to be measured against outcomes.

For example, automation should reduce processing delays and improve transparency if implemented effectively. Greater access to maritime financing should also translate into tangible benefits for qualified Nigerian operators rather than remain a policy commitment.

Similarly, maintaining a piracy-free operating environment will require continued cooperation among NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, other security agencies and regional partners.

What happens next?

NIMASA says its senior management strategy session is held periodically to review the agency’s direction, reaffirm priorities and align its work with its statutory mandate and federal government’s ministerial deliverables.

The next test will be implementation.

For the shipping industry and other maritime stakeholders, the key question is whether the 2025-2028 strategy will produce clearly published targets, timelines and performance indicators that allow the public to judge progress.

For NIMASA, the task is not only to preserve the gains it has highlighted but to show how those gains improve the safety, efficiency and competitiveness of Nigeria’s maritime economy.

The agency’s strategy may set the direction, but its impact will ultimately be judged by what changes on the water, at the ports and for the people and businesses that depend on Nigeria’s maritime trade.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dayo Mobereola, to maintain momentum on reforms in Nigeria’s maritime sector.

The President gave the directive when he received Dr Mobereola at the State House in Abuja on Thursday, 27 August.

According to NIMASA, the meeting focused on the development of the maritime industry, with Dr Mobereola briefing the President on the agency’s activities over the past two years, progress made and challenges facing the sector.

The Presidency has yet to publish a detailed account of the discussions or announce specific new measures arising from the meeting.

Why the meeting matters

The meeting comes as the Tinubu administration tries to turn Nigeria’s maritime resources into a larger source of economic activity, government revenue and jobs.

The administration created the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in 2023 as part of its effort to give the sector a stronger institutional focus. The ministry’s mandate covers areas including shipping, inland waterways and other marine resources.

President Tinubu said the creation of the ministry was deliberate and intended to increase the maritime sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s gross domestic product.

But translating that ambition into measurable economic gains remains the key test.

What has changed under NIMASA?

NIMASA has reported progress in maritime security, seafarer development, regulation and international engagement since Dr Mobereola became director-general in March 2024.

The agency said Nigeria recorded no piracy incident in its waters throughout 2025. It also highlighted Nigeria’s return to the International Maritime Organization Council in November 2025 after a 14-year absence.

The security gains matter to ship operators because attacks and other maritime crimes can increase insurance costs, disrupt shipping and discourage investment.

However, the absence of piracy incidents alone does not demonstrate that Nigeria has solved its wider maritime problems. Issues such as port efficiency, indigenous shipping capacity, infrastructure, regulation and access to finance still affect the industry’s ability to compete.

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The unfinished business

One of the longstanding challenges is the development of Nigerian-owned shipping capacity.

The Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund was established under the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003 to help local operators acquire vessels and strengthen indigenous participation in domestic maritime trade.

In May 2025, NIMASA said the fund would be disbursed at a single-digit interest rate, with a two-year moratorium and an eight-year repayment period through 12 primary lending institutions.

NIMASA said in its 2025 review that the disbursement process had moved closer to implementation and that 2026 was expected to be significant for the fund.

The effectiveness of that programme will ultimately depend on whether Nigerian shipowners can access the money transparently and use it to expand a competitive domestic fleet.

Revenue has also increased

There are signs that the government has already increased revenue collection from agencies within the marine and blue economy portfolio.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, said the ministry and its agencies generated N850.324bn between January and November 2024, compared with N479.076bn during the same period in 2023. NIMASA’s reported contribution rose from N42.309bn to N67.019bn.

Higher government revenue is important, but revenue growth should not be confused with broader economic development.

For the sector to deliver the benefits promised by the blue economy agenda, increased collections need to accompany better infrastructure, more efficient ports, stronger local businesses and more employment for Nigerians.

What could the public gain?

A stronger maritime industry could affect Nigerians beyond the shipping business.

Efficient ports can reduce delays and logistics costs. More Nigerian-owned vessels could create opportunities for shipowners, engineers, seafarers and other maritime workers. Investment in inland waterways could also improve transport connections and open new commercial routes.

NIMASA has also reported efforts to improve seafarer training and employment pathways through the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme. The agency said it was working to clear a backlog of sea-time placements for beneficiaries.

But these benefits will not automatically reach the wider public. They depend on sustained investment, effective regulation and transparent implementation.

Tinubu’s challenge to NIMASA

At Thursday’s meeting, President Tinubu commended NIMASA for the progress it had recorded but told Dr Mobereola and his management team not to “rest on their oars”.

That message places the emphasis on delivery rather than announcements.

Dr Mobereola was appointed by President Tinubu in March 2024 for an initial four-year term. His mandate included improving maritime safety, labour regulation, marine pollution control, search and rescue, cabotage enforcement, shipping development and ship registration.

The latest meeting therefore provides an opportunity for the administration to measure how far those objectives have translated into outcomes for businesses and workers.

What happens next?

NIMASA says Dr Mobereola briefed the President on both achievements and challenges, but it has not disclosed the details of the challenges discussed or any new presidential directives beyond the call to sustain progress.

The next stage will be whether the government converts its broad blue economy ambitions into measurable improvements in shipping capacity, port efficiency, maritime jobs, safety and revenue.

For Nigerians, the real measure of success will be whether the country’s extensive coastline, ports and waterways produce tangible economic opportunities rather than remaining largely untapped potential.

Nigerian maritime authorities are stepping up enforcement of the country’s Cabotage rules, putting vessel owners, operators, charterers and other companies involved in coastal shipping on notice that they must meet statutory requirements or risk enforcement action.

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) announced the move in a Marine Notice issued on Wednesday, saying the enhanced enforcement would cover vessel ownership, registration, manning, construction and documentation.

The announcement does not introduce a new Cabotage law. Instead, it reinforces requirements that have been in Nigeria’s legal framework since the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act came into force in 2003.

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What is changing?

NIMASA says people and companies that require vessels for Cabotage operations must use vessels that comply with Nigerian requirements and are registered in the Special Register for Vessels and Ship Owning Companies Engaged in Cabotage.

It also says vessel owners, operators, charterers, managers and other maritime stakeholders must keep valid certificates, licences, registrations and other statutory documents.

The regulator says vessels engaged in Cabotage should, where applicable, be wholly Nigerian-owned, registered in Nigeria, manned by Nigerian citizens and built in Nigeria.

However, the law provides for exemptions where Nigerian capacity is unavailable. NIMASA’s own guidance confirms that waivers can apply to ownership, manning and Nigerian shipbuilding requirements.

This distinction matters because the latest announcement does not amount to a blanket ban on foreign vessels operating in Nigerian waters.

Instead, NIMASA says vessels that do not meet the requirements may only operate where the relevant statutory conditions for an exemption have been established and verified.

Why is NIMASA doing this now?

The announcement comes as the Federal Government tries to increase Nigerian ownership of the country’s maritime business and reduce dependence on foreign vessels.

The government has also spent the past two years trying to revive the long-delayed Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF), which was created to help indigenous shipping companies acquire vessels and build capacity.

The CVFF was established under the 2003 Cabotage Act and is funded partly through a 2% surcharge on contracts performed by Cabotage vessels. NIMASA says the fund is intended to help indigenous operators acquire vessels and gradually take over business from foreign operators.

In January 2026, the government launched a CVFF application portal to provide structured financing for Nigerian shipowners. The government said the initiative was designed to strengthen indigenous ship ownership after more than two decades of delays.

NIMASA subsequently said the fund would be distributed through 12 Primary Lending Institutions, with single-digit interest rates, a two-year moratorium and an eight-year repayment period.

The enforcement push therefore comes at a significant point: the government is trying to provide financing for local vessels while simultaneously insisting that operators comply with the rules designed to reserve domestic coastal trade for Nigerians.

A promise made before

The latest action follows an earlier government commitment to reduce reliance on Cabotage waivers.

In May 2025, Marine and Blue Economy Minister Adegboyega Oyetola said the government intended to end what he described as the indiscriminate use of waivers for foreign vessels.

The minister’s position reflected a long-running concern among Nigerian shipowners that foreign operators have benefited from exemptions intended to address temporary gaps in local capacity.

The problem is bigger than enforcement

Cabotage enforcement alone cannot solve Nigeria’s maritime capacity problem.

NIMASA’s own description of the Cabotage system identifies the need to increase indigenous shipping lines, maintain a dedicated register and use the CVFF to build local vessel capacity.

Earlier NIMASA material also identified shortages in Nigerian vessel ownership, shipbuilding and repair facilities, qualified seafarers and sea-time training as longstanding obstacles to full implementation of the Cabotage regime.

That creates a difficult balance for regulators.

If NIMASA enforces the rules strictly without sufficient Nigerian vessels, crews and shipyards, operators may face higher costs or delays.

If enforcement remains weak, Nigerian companies may continue to lose opportunities in a market that the law was specifically designed to protect.

Who stands to benefit?

Nigerian shipowners and seafarers could benefit if stricter enforcement translates into more contracts for locally owned and operated vessels.

Shipbuilding, ship repair, maritime training and other supporting businesses could also gain if increased demand for Nigerian vessels creates investment opportunities.

The wider economic argument is that keeping more maritime activity within Nigeria could generate employment, strengthen local businesses and reduce the country’s dependence on foreign shipping capacity.

But those benefits will depend on whether local operators can actually provide vessels that meet the required technical and safety standards.

Who could lose?

Foreign vessel operators that currently participate in Nigerian coastal trade through lawful exemptions could face greater scrutiny.

Charterers and companies that rely on foreign vessels could also face higher operating costs or delays if they cannot demonstrate that their vessels have the necessary approvals.

Operators with expired certificates, incomplete documentation or vessels that do not meet Cabotage requirements face a more immediate risk.

NIMASA’s wider 2026 enforcement programme provides for inspections, documentary checks and sanctions including vessel detention, monetary penalties, withdrawal of waivers or operational licences and denial of port clearance for non-compliant operators.

The accountability question

The critical test will be whether the new enforcement produces measurable results.

There is also a wider question about the CVFF.

The fund has been presented as an important mechanism for giving Nigerian operators the capacity to compete, but concerns about delays and transparency have persisted. In June 2026, the Sea Empowerment and Research Centre said there was still no publicly verified evidence that a beneficiary had received CVFF funding as of May.

NIMASA’s current enforcement policy will therefore be judged alongside its ability to make the financing mechanism work.

What happens next?

The Marine Notice takes immediate effect, according to NIMASA.

The agency says it will continue monitoring compliance with the Cabotage Act, its regulations and implementation guidelines.

For the policy to achieve its stated purpose, enforcement will need to be accompanied by credible support for Nigerian vessel acquisition, shipbuilding, repairs and seafarer training.

The next important evidence will not simply be another warning. It will be the number of vessels inspected, exemptions granted or rejected, enforcement actions taken, and Nigerian-owned vessels and seafarers that actually gain more work as the rules are enforced.