FG SEEKS CLEAR ROLES FOR MARITIME AGENCIES TO IMPROVE WATERWAYS SAFETY AND IMO RATING
The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, FMMBE, and the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, NSIB, have commenced discussions to strengthen inter-agency collaboration and define clear roles among institutions responsible for maritime safety.
This was contained in a statement signed by Anastasia Ogbonna, Director, Information & PR, FMMBE.
The meeting, held in Abuja, is part of efforts to enhance safety on Nigeria’s waterways, eliminate overlapping responsibilities, and position the country for improved ratings within the International Maritime Organisation, IMO.
The Permanent Secretary, FMMBE, Mrs. Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, said the Ministry is undertaking a holistic review of the marine and blue economy ecosystem to ensure institutions are properly positioned to deliver on their mandates.
She noted that effective collaboration must be guided by legal and statutory frameworks, with institutional clarity critical in the areas of maritime safety, investigation, regulation, and enforcement.
“A coordinated approach, rather than overlapping responsibilities, will support more effective implementation of government policies and programmes to improve safety across Nigeria’s waterways,” Mrs. Mahmood stated.
She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to continued engagement with NSIB and other agencies, stressing that such cooperation is vital to strengthening Nigeria’s waterways safety framework and advancing the sustainable development of the marine and blue economy.
The Director-General, NSIB, Capt. Alex Badeh Jnr., called for the integration of independent marine casualty investigations into national maritime policy reforms to prevent agencies from working at cross purposes.
He stated that this would help end preventable deaths across Nigeria’s 10,000 kilometres of navigable inland waterways spanning 28 states.
Capt. Badeh clarified that while agencies such as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, and the Nigerian Ports Authority handle licensing, inspections, and operations, NSIB functions strictly as an independent, no-blame safety investigator whose findings and recommendations are tracked for implementation.
He expressed concern over delays in casualty reporting, noting that critical evidence is often tampered with, looted, or lost before investigators arrive. To address this, NSIB proposed a formal casualty notification protocol to ensure accidents are reported within one hour.
The NSIB DG added that strengthening inter-agency collaboration will reinforce Nigeria’s standing as a responsible flag, port, and inland waterways state, sustain its current IMO Category C seat, and support its bid for a Category B seat.
