NIMASA, NSIB mull strengthened collaboration on maritime safety
By Taiwo Scholastica
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has renewed its commitment to working closely with the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) to improve maritime safety, security, and marine casualty investigations in Nigeria.
The commitment was made by the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, when he received the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the NSIB, Captain Alex Sabundu Badeh Jr., during a courtesy visit to the agency’s headquarters in Lagos.
Mobereola said stronger cooperation between both agencies was necessary to improve safety and security within Nigeria’s maritime space, noting the vital role played by the NSIB in transportation safety.
According to him, “NIMASA understands the critical role of the NSIB in promoting transportation safety. Strengthening safety and security within our maritime domain requires commitment, collaboration, and practical frameworks that deliver sustainable results.”
“Our shared responsibility is to build a maritime sector that operates on global best practices while protecting lives, vessels, and the marine environment. Ultimately, our collective goal is to contribute to making Nigeria greater through stronger institutions and effective inter-agency cooperation.”
“We are committed to working closely with the NSIB as a sister agency to build a partnership that will strengthen the nation’s maritime safety architecture and deliver lasting value to the industry,” he said.
The NIMASA DG noted that the move aligns with the vision of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, whose focus on collaboration continues to support the Federal Government’s Marine and Blue Economy agenda.
Speaking earlier, Badeh described closer cooperation between NIMASA and the NSIB as crucial to improving transportation safety and reducing the likelihood of future marine accidents.
He explained that although both agencies have different statutory responsibilities, they share an interest in protecting lives, property, and the marine environment through effective safety measures.
“Our mandates are different, but our destination is the same: a safer and more resilient maritime sector for Nigeria. Safety is most effective when institutions work together, sharing information, expertise, and best practices. A stronger partnership between the NSIB and NIMASA will enhance marine casualty investigations, strengthen preventive measures, and ensure that lessons learned translate into safer operations across the maritime industry,” Badeh stated.
Badeh listed potential areas of cooperation to include marine casualty notification, emergency response coordination, preservation of evidence, information exchange, technical support, capacity building, and the implementation of safety recommendations.
He added that a formal partnership between the agencies would further assist Nigeria in meeting international maritime safety standards.
As next steps, both organizations agreed to set up technical committees to work on the framework for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and prepare the Terms of Reference for the partnership.
The proposed framework will cover information sharing, marine casualty investigations, capacity development, and the implementation of safety recommendations.
The collaboration is expected to provide a more organized structure for cooperation between the two agencies, improve Nigeria’s compliance with international maritime obligations, and strengthen the country’s overall maritime safety system.
NIMASA, as the agency responsible for key aspects of Nigeria’s maritime administration, affirmed that it will continue to pursue strategic partnerships with local and international stakeholders as part of efforts to improve maritime safety and security, enhance regulatory efficiency, and support the Federal Government’s vision of a competitive and sustainable Blue Economy.