NIMASA Partners Bureau of Statistics, Develops Data on Blue Economy

By ZION Olalekan |

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) said it is currently in partnership with the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in other to develop a Nigerian data of blue economy and seaborne transportation.

Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside stated this in Lagos at the 2018 African Day of the Seas and Oceans (ADSO) with the theme “Partnership Key to Sustainable Blue World”

The NIMASA boss also said that the figure of piracy and unregulated fishing in Nigeria is dropping gradually. He said that NIMASA is able to achieve this feat due to collaboration between the agency and other stakeholders.

Peterside said that through its advocacy on the potentials of the blue economy and it’s contributions to the GDP of the Nigerian economy, NIMASA has been able to draw the attention of the government and policy makers to the need to formulate a policy for the blue economy which according to him was never looked at before now.

The NIMASA boss said that the seas and oceans contribute a veritable source for economic development apart from providing the cheapest means of moving goods from one place to the other. According to him, eighty percent of world trade depends on the seas.

Peterside while fielding questions from journalists on the side-lines of the event said that, though previous activities of NIMASA may not have had as much impact as wanted, it drew the attention of the country to the need to formulate a policy for the blue economy.

“For the first time, the country is formulating a blue economy policy that would drive the other initiatives, some countries have the blue economy ministry but ours is located in different ministries. We have been able to raise awareness.

“We are also engaging the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which before now does not have a data for water borne transportation and the blue economy, but we are engaging them and generating data to the extent of defining the contribution of the blue economy to our GDP.

“The blue economy has capacity to contribute to the GDP of the nation if well harnessed”.

Peterside also assured that major threats to blue economy potentials in Nigeria are being addressed vis-a-vis: over-fishing, insecurity, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Also speaking at the event, Chairman of NIMASA governing board, Major General India Garuba noted that by 2050, pressures on the oceans are expected to increase, while global competition for raw materials, food and water will become more intense.

According to him, the Nigerian blue economy as well as the seas and oceans ecosystem health is already being threatened by illegal fishing, piracy, climate change and marine pollution.

Meanwhile, NIMASA has at the end of the event yesterday set up a Committee for the implementation of sustainable Blue Economy in Nigeria. The committee is chaired by the NIMASA board chairman, India Garuba while the secretary is Mrs Chinwe Wogu.

The committee is expected to among other things, set up an internet portal and a WhatsApp platform where they are expected to do most of their assignments.

Part of the terms of reference of the committee is to crystallise the ideas and resolutions of the event and put them on implementable form to ensure implementation.

In her lead paper presentation titled “National Maritime Strategy and the National Maritime Transport Policy: how far is the road yet? Barr Margaret Orakwusi noted that in spite of the immense potentials of Africa in maritime domain, it is regrettable that the Industry remains relatively underdeveloped.

According to her, the industry has not kept pace with the level of trade the African nations generate and the global maritime environment.

“The Africa’s maritime industry is dominated by foreign flagged carriers from the developed market economies of Western Europe and America. It has become difficult for the continent to get integrated into different areas of the shipping sector as a result of complexity, insecurity & piracy, lack of capacity and the capital intensiveness of shipping”, she said.