Mobereola: NIMASA Must Consolidate Successes, Pursue Greater Results

Victoria Silvanus

The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, has urged staff of the agency to consolidate on the achievements recorded in recent years and intensify efforts towards advancing Nigeria's maritime sector.

Mobereola gave the charge during a two-day Senior Management Strategy Session on the NIMASA Medium-Term Strategic Plan (September 2025 – August 2028), held at the Nigeria Maritime Resource Development Centre, Apapa, Lagos.

According to a statement issued by the Deputy Director and Head of Public Relations, NIMASA, Osagie Edward, the DG highlighted several milestones achieved under the supervision of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, including four consecutive years without piracy incidents in Nigerian waters, Nigeria's successful election into Category C of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) after 14 years, and the recent lifting of the 12-year Condition of Entry (CoE) imposed by the United States Coast Guard on vessels departing Nigerian ports for the United States.

While commending staff for their contributions to these successes, Mobereola stressed the need for greater commitment to sustain the momentum.

"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," he said.

The NIMASA boss noted that Nigeria currently accounts for more than 47 per cent of all port calls in the Gulf of Guinea, a development he said has firmly positioned the country as the dominant maritime hub in the region.

He challenged management staff to be honest in assessing current realities, focused on areas that can deliver meaningful results, and accountable for implementing decisions reached during the strategy session.

"We must be sincere in discussing our current realities, focused in prioritising the areas that truly move the needle, and accountable in ensuring that every outcome from this session translates into clear ownership, timelines and measurable results," Mobereola stated.

Describing the strategy session as an opportunity for constructive engagement, the DG encouraged participants to openly share ideas and develop practical solutions to challenges facing the agency.

"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," he added.

Mobereola further applauded staff for their role in what he described as one of the most transformative periods in NIMASA's history, citing ongoing reforms such as the automation of the Ship Registry, review of the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW), disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF), and automation of workflow systems.

"We are not merely improving processes; we are building a new foundation for efficiency, transparency, innovation and international recognition," he said.

The Senior Management Strategy Session is part of NIMASA's periodic review process aimed at assessing progress, reaffirming priorities and strengthening commitment towards achieving the agency's statutory mandate and the deliverables of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.