Dr Bashir Jamoh, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has said Nigeria has recorded no piracy case in its waters from 2022 till date.
Jamoh made this disclosure when the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Huitfeldt Anniken, paid a visit to the NIMASA centre in Lagos to woo the Norwegian government and its traders to Nigeria.
According to him, Nigeria recorded 82 cases of piracy in its waters in 2018 which dropped to 61 in 2019 and down to 34 cases in 2021.
The NIMASA boss added that zero piracy was in 2022 and zero in the first quarter of 2023, Jamoh noted.
Speaking on ship development, the DG assured that in a couple of weeks, the Cabotage Vessel Financing Funds (CVFF) will be disbursed to shipowners 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.
In her response, Anniken said the Norwegian government will 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 will 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.
