The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency has announced stricter enforcement of statutory requirements governing indigenous participation in Nigeria’s cabotage trade and other maritime activities.

The agency said the enhanced enforcement was part of its mandate to implement relevant maritime laws, including the NIMASA Act 2007, the Coastal and Inland Shipping Act 2003, and applicable Cabotage regulations and implementation guidelines.

The Deputy Director and Head of Public Relations at NIMASA, Osagie Edward, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

NIMASA explained that, under the enhanced enforcement regime, all individuals and entities seeking to deploy vessels for cabotage operations must use vessels that comply with the applicable Nigerian ownership, registration, manning and construction requirements.

The agency added that such vessels must also be duly registered in the Special Register for Vessels and Ship Owning Companies Engaged in Cabotage.

The agency further stated that all vessels, owners, operators, charterers, managers and other stakeholders involved in cabotage activities must maintain valid statutory certificates, licences, registrations and other mandatory documentation.

“Cabotage vessels must, as applicable, be wholly owned by Nigerian citizens, duly registered in the relevant Special Register, manned by Nigerian citizens and built in Nigeria. Deployment of vessels that do not meet these requirements may only be considered where the requisite Nigerian capacity is unavailable, and the statutory conditions have been established and verified by NIMASA,” the statement read in part.

It added that NIMASA would continue to monitor compliance with the Cabotage Act, its regulations and applicable guidelines to strengthen maritime governance and ensure that employment opportunities reserved for Nigerians are not outsourced to foreign interests.