Oyetola Sets to Join Maritime Professionals in Setting 50-Years Plan for Indigenous Maritime Trade

The burning issue of the way forward for Nigeria’s indigenous maritime shipping industry comes up again next week at an international webinar organized by the Centre for Indigenous Maritime Trade
and Transport Studies.

With the theme,”Agenda Setting for Nigeria’s Indigenous Maritime Trade:
The 50-Year Plan”, the event has evoked wide ranging interest from many Nigerian professionals locally and from the diaspora who decry the comatose state of the indigenous operators while foreign carriers dominate the lucrative trade without any change in sight.

A press release from the
Centre signed by the Director, Dr.Edmund Chilaka,said that the Keynote Speaker, Prof.Nick White, and other speakers including Capt.Sunday Umoren,Engr.Bob Alfa, Mr.Anthony Ogadi,and Barrister Damilola Osinuga have all confirmed their attendance at what promises to be a huge
visioning and ideation event for bright minds.

The Hon.Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola and the Director General of NIMASA, Dr.Dayo Mobereola, have been invited as
Guests of Honour to give goodwill messages for the kickoff of the event.

“Sections 35-38 of the
NIMASA Act provides that Federal, State, and Local Government cargoes from international trade should be carried by indigenous shipping companies to nurture them during their toddler years before they mature to compete with carriers from the traditional maritime nations of Europe and
Asia.

“It was during the strong implementation of the law in the early 1990s that Nigeria saw the emergence of vibrant indigenous shipping lines. However, the poor management of the cargo reservation scheme and its unwise suspension during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration in 2001 caused Nigerian carriers to be completely squeezed out by the foreign carriers leading to loss of foreign exchange, unemployment of local mariners, and decline in seafarer training.

“Today, no Nigerian carriers are involved in deep ocean shipping,with the few active operators serving only coastal wet and dry cargo routes. It is hoped that with the continued campaign by concerned Nigerian stakeholders and the recent adoption of the Federal Government Policy on marine and blue economy, better political leadership can be mustered to do the needful and reclaim Nigeria’s share of international shipping trade” the statement read