TheCable

Bashir Jamoh (pictured), the director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), says the agency is committed to the establishment of a national fleet.

In a statement on Wednesday, Jamoh said the desire for a Nigerian shipping line is gradually being achieved.

Jamoh was speaking when he received members of the National Fleet Implementation Committee, who paid him a courtesy visit at the agency’s headquarters.

He told the team led by Hassan Bello, the committee chairman and executive secretary of the Nigeria Shippers’ Council, that the need for a national carrier cannot be overemphasised owing to the enormous economic benefits it offered.

According to him, there is no better time to have a national carrier and develop the maritime industry than now, when the world is gradually looking away from fossil fuels, which currently forms the mainstay of the Nigerian economy.

“Nigeria cannot be caught unawares; we need to look at ways of developing our shipping sector, which from studies, is capable of earning the country even more than oil annually,” he said.

He explained that since the liquidation of the Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL) in 1995, the country has been looking for avenues to float a national carrier though through private sector participation.

The director-general said the federal government has put different measures in place to stimulate the maritime sector due to its strategic importance to the economic fortunes of the country.

“We need to have a sustainable national shipping line in order to avoid the reasons the NNSL was liquidated. The committee must focus on ensuring that the implementation stands the test of time,” Jamoh said.

“The agency’s commitment to fully and actively support the drive for a wholly Nigerian-owned and operated fleet is unwavering, and this is one of the main pillars that NIMASA is built upon.

“It is also the third leg of the tripod driving the development agenda of the current management at NIMASA.”

In his remarks, Bello said the committee has reached a critical stage in the national fleet implementation process, stressing that capital injection is required to actualise the project.

“The quest for a Nigerian fleet is essential in ensuring that the country regains control of its external trade, thereby opening up the economy,” he said.

“This is a perfect time for Nigeria to invest in its own fleet with global dependency on oil projected to dwindle considerably by 2030 and alternative power sources replacing fossil fuels in many countries.

“Consequently, a mono-economy such as ours should be diversifying into other revenue streams with maritime being a major potential earner.”

Bello said the primary objectives of the committee are to create employment opportunities for Nigerians; reposition the Nigerian maritime sector and generate revenue for the federal government.