General
Gulf of Guinea Records Lowest Piracy Incidents in 28 Years
By Adedapo Adesanya
The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has disclosed that the Gulf of Guinea, once a notorious hub for sea piracy, has recorded the lowest number of reported incidents for the first half of the year since 1994.
The bureau disclosed this in its half-year report of 2022 which coincided with the reduction in piracy around the globe, which it notes is evidence of its efforts in raising awareness to make the waters safe globally.
In a statement signed by Mr Edward Osagie, Assistant Director, Public Relations, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the IMB also expressed optimism that it was a new dawn for the shipping community globally.
The Gulf of Guinea Declaration (GoG) on Suppression of Piracy has confirmed that there has not been any case of Seafarers kidnap one year after the May 2021 declaration.
This is considered commendable progress in comparison to the 2020 statistics when 130 seafarers were kidnapped.
In the report, IMB Director, Mr Michael Howlett, also confirmed that no case of vessel hijack took place on Nigerian waters in the first half of 2022.
“The ICC and International Maritime Bureau (IMB) have confirmed that the first half of 2022 witnessed the least cases of piracy globally in 28 years with only 58 reported cases as compared to 68 within the same period in 2021.
“Of the 58 incidents, two were classified as piracy attacks in the Gulf of Guinea, with none of them occurring in Nigerian waters. While the reduction in reported incidents is indeed encouraging, the IMB PRC continues to caution against complacency,” he said.
Mr Howlett said that not only was this good news for the seafarers and the shipping industry, it was positive news for trade which promotes economic growth but the areas of risk shift and the shipping community must remain vigilant.
“We encourage governments and responding authorities to continue their patrols which create a deterrent effect,” he said.
The status report from the GoG declaration also confirmed that there had not been any case of kidnap for ransom in 2022, as against 20 cases in 2020 and 12 in 2021.
Responding to the report, the Director-General of NIMASA, Mr Bashir Jamoh, said that Nigeria was committed to sustaining the momentum of the success recorded in recent times in the fight against piracy in the region.
“It is heart-warming that the international maritime community is acknowledging the progress made so far. It is a direct result of collaboration amongst national, regional and non-regional stakeholders.
“It is our hope that this trend will be sustained and very soon, we will start reaping the benefits such as a change of status concerning the Insurance premium paid on Nigerian bound cargoes; the War Riskpremium being paid at the moment.
“We hope this status will change very soon,” he said.
Mr Jamoh said that the Baltic and International Maritime Council, (BIMCO), the world’s largest direct-membership organisation for ship-owners, charterers, shipbrokers, and agents called for the effective and full deployment of Deep Blue Assets on Anti-piracy tasking.
“Key to the successes in the war against piracy are efforts of the Nigerian Navy in clamping down on pirates camps, the Deep Blue project C4i coastal surveillance and collaboration with international Navies for law enforcement off Nigerian waters.
“Others are the series of meetings under the umbrella of the Gulf of Guinea maritime coordination Forum, Shared Awareness and DEconfliction, GoG/SHADE,” Mr Jamoh quoted BIMCO as saying.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has pledged its commitment to provide the regulatory leadership, technical coordination, and stakeholder engagement required to successfully develop and implement a robust National Action Plan on maritime decarbonization in Nigeria.
The Director General of the agency, Mr Dayo Mobereola, made this known during the National Stakeholders’ workshop on the development of a National Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan, further describing the workshop as a critical step in actualising the Federal Government’s blue economy and climate objectives.
Represented by the Executive Director, Operations, Mr Fatai Taiye Adeyemi, the NIMASA DG underscored the significance of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, a technical cooperation initiative /designed to support developing countries in implementing the IMO GHG Strategy.
According to him, the National Action Plan being developed will reflect national realities, leverage existing capacities, address identified gaps, and align with broader economic and environmental priorities of the federal government.
Mr Mobereola stressed that “this transition is not merely about compliance with international obligations, it is about safeguarding our marine environment, protecting public health, strengthening the blue economy, and ensuring that our maritime industry remains competitive and future-ready”, the DG said.
Also speaking at the event was the Technical Manager of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, Ms Astrid Dispert, who highlighted that the overarching objective of the initiative is to advance a coherent and globally aligned regulatory framework to accelerate maritime decarbonization.
She also emphasised that NIMASA plays a pivotal role in driving the project at the national level.
The IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project provides technical expertise and institutional support to assist countries in developing and implementing National Action Plans that promote sustainable shipping practices, encourage investment in clean technologies, and strengthen capacity for long-term emissions reduction.
Through this collaboration, the federal government is advancing deliberate steps towards maritime decarbonization, reinforcing its commitment to global climate goals and ensuring a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future for the sector.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with its digital submission process effective March 1.
The directive was contained in a circular signed by the Director-General of the Bureau, Mr Adebowale Adedokun, noting that the move was part of the bureau’s commitment to digital transformation and paperless governance.
It explained that the transition followed an earlier circular of Aug. 4, 2025, which introduced electronic submission procedures.
According to the bureau, it has successfully moved from physical filings to a dedicated e-mail service for document submissions and is now advancing to a more robust and integrated system.
The circular announced the inauguration of the BPP Digital Submission Portal, a web-based platform designed to enable MDAs submit procurement-related documents directly to the Bureau.
It stated that the automated platform would streamline the submission process, enhance transparency and ensure accelerated tracking of procurement-related documents and petitions.
“With effect from March 1, all MDAs will be required to use the portal to submit requests for ‘No Objection’ Certificates, approvals for ‘No Objection’ for special procurements, clarifications and status updates on submissions,” the bureau said.
It added that the portal would be hosted on the Bureau’s official website and would become fully operational from the effective date.
The bureau warned that physical submissions or manual hand-deliveries would no longer be prioritised and would eventually be rejected following the full transition to the digital platform.
It urged accounting officers to brief their procurement departments and ICT units on the development to ensure seamless processing of procurement activities from March 1.
It further advised MDAs to contact the Bureau via its official email for information on the onboarding process and integration into the portal.
The bureau emphasised that full compliance by all MDAs was required to ensure a smooth transition and avoid delays in the implementation of the 2026 fiscal year procurement processes.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Senate has asked President Bola Tinubu to remove the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mr Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, from office.
The Senate Committee on Finance, while passing a resolution in Abuja on Thursday, accused Mr Magaji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), of failing to honour the Senate’s invitations to account for the finances of his agency.
“He refused on so many occasions to honour our invitation to appear before this committee.
“We have issues with the reconciliation of the revenue of CAC.
“Each time we invite him, he gives us excuses,” the Chairman of the committee, Mr Sani Musa, said as the committee passed the resolution.
CAC was part of a group of agencies that the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) recommended zero allocation for the year 2026, for allegedly failing to account for public funds appropriated to them.
The committee, at an investigative hearing held two weeks ago, accused CAC and some other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of shunning invitations to respond to audit queries contained in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s annual reports for 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The PAC chairman, Mr Bamidele Salam, stated that the National Assembly should not continue to appropriate public funds to institutions that disregard accountability mechanisms, saying this will create fiscal discipline and strengthen transparency across federal institutions and conform with extant financial regulations and the oversight powers of the parliament.
“Public funds are held in trust for the Nigerian people. Any agency that fails to account for previous allocations, refuses to submit audited accounts, or ignores legislative summons cannot, in good conscience, expect fresh budgetary provisions. Accountability is not optional; it is a constitutional obligation,” he said.
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