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Exploiting The Potentials of Maritime Challenge in Nigeria
The Nigerian economy is tied to oil,while every other nation guide it’s economy through the maritime industry.The maritime industry holds a lot of promising investment for the economic development of the country,which is supposed to generate 45 percent of employment to Nigerians.While another critical sector,agriculture holds a very good investment potential sensitive to the economy. The maritime transport sector has made movement of cargoes of all types and volume possible,specially through massive cargo transportation which has impacted positively on the global logistics chain.Nigeria’s water front is arguably the best in the world.Which has the advantage of leapfrogging the economy to international recognition. One of which is to migerate the sector from oil and gas to exploration towards deep offshore, off the coast and in coastal waters.This would increase the demand for more offshore support vessels including FPSO’s and platform. From available statistics 90 percent of the merchandise/trade by volume is carried by seas while over 60 percent of all imports to West Africa are Nigeria-bound. The economy is in a terrible hiccup because of the way it was planned. Sensitive sectors not manned by technocrats, while the railway transport system is epileptic even with the massive Chinese loans on the rail projects on going but slow. This transport sector is expected to be a link to all ports in Nigeria. A study by Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA),said the 2019-2020 Nigeria maritime industry forecast is an enabler of economic growth and prosperity. lt listed several areas of profitable businesses for investors. The agency stated that investment in building vessels, is required to meet national cabotage, such as barges, Tug boats. Crew Boat, offshore support vessels, crew/supply vessels, self propelled Barge, supply vessel, patrol boat dredgers, multi-purpose vessel, AH Tug, Jack up barge. Muster barge floating vessel, lift boat and patrol vessel. “Dry Docking remains a critical area of investment with over 3500 operating in Nigerian waters and largely being dry docked outside the shores. Nigeria has quite a few ship yards in operation but the capacity remains all time low.” The report stated. The law relating activities at seas is based primarily on Maritime law and the law of the sea. Maritime law is the law of activities and events which is related with the sea.The availability of manpower is also crucial to the development of the Nigerian maritime and shipping sector. “According to a maritime expert, Com. Lucky Eyis Amiwero, Chief Executive Officer of Eyis Resources limited, said he has served in 167 government committees and have written more than 5000 letters advising the government on how to improve the sector.” The transit system system in Nigerian can generate l million jobs for trailers, freight forwarders, importers and terminal operations in the country. Nigeria is not enlisted as one of the transit nations. Though, we have transit facilities to train the upcoming young generation to develop cross-country skills, which is required in today’s world which will enable the development of professional courses focusing on advanced maritime technologies, cyber security, maritime and port management, supply management chain and many more .But politicians have hijacked the system making funding cumbersome and difficult for the sector. Nigeria’s current transport system does not have a mass transit programme. The transport system is built on a mono policy roads while the rail network is not working even with the Chinese technical presence not much has been achieved due to political manipulation.
