Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has revealed that Nigeria has not recorded any piracy case on its waters from 2022 till date.
The Director General, Dr Bashir Jamoh, made this disclosure as he wooed the Norwegian government and its traders to see Nigeria as a viable investment place.
Mr Jamoh stated this when the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Huitfeldt Anniken, paid a visit to the NIMASA centre in Lagos.
The NIMASA boss said Nigeria recorded 82 cases of sea piracy in its waters in 2018, but that dropped to 61 in 2019 and down to 34 cases in 2021.
He beamed that this fell to zero in 2022 and zero in the first quarter of 2023.
Business Post had earlier reported that the 2022 record of zero piracy attacks was the best record in the last 20 years.
Speaking on ship development, the DG assured that in a couple of weeks, the Cabotage Vessel Financing Funds (CVFF) will be disbursed to ship owners to help in fleet expansion.
He added that NIMASA is poised to advance shipping by ensuring a conducive environment for commercial shipping and encouraging more indigenous participation in the global shipping trade.
Ms Anniken, in her response, said the Norwegian government would deepen its maritime trade with Nigeria following the removal of Nigeria’s name from the world piracy list.
She commended NIMASA’s efforts in combating piracy and insecurity, stating that when it comes to maritime security, Nigeria is the place to look up to.
Following her visit to the agency’s C4i centre, she said Nigeria would be a good partner for Norway.
“I am deeply impressed by what I am seeing here today because safety and the well-being of seafarers in the country, including in the Gulf of Guinea, is highly important to us, so Nigeria is the rightful partner for Norway, and I am here to learn,” she said.
Also adding his input, the Executive Director Norwegian Shipowners Association, Mr Audun Halvorsen said the Norwegian Shipowners see NIMASA as a key partner in Africa as it has over 1,700 members.
