Lawmakers Push for Comprehensive Maritime Sector Reform in Nigeria

By Oluwakemi Kindness

The House of Representatives on Monday renewed calls for sweeping reforms in Nigeria’s maritime sector, urging improved funding, enhanced revenue collection systems, and full compliance with remittance policies.

This call was made during the 2025 budget presentation by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on Monday at the National Assembly.

Chairman of the House Committee on Maritime Safety, Rep. Kadjiat Ibrahim, described the sector as a critical revenue source that requires urgent attention.

While the agency had a projected revenue of ₦467.4bn for 2024, NIMASA realised only ₦370bn, representing 79% of its target and leaving a shortfall of 21%.

For 2025, the agency is projecting a revenue of ₦774.66bn, excluding ₦46.54bn in cabotage revenue, leaving a working estimate of ₦728.12bn.

According to the Executive Director of Finance at NIMASA, Chudy Offorfilia, he told the Committee that efforts are being made to improve collections and plug revenue leakages.

But, lawmakers expressed concerns over what they described as systemic inefficiencies and stressed the need for a comprehensive overhaul of operations across Nigeria’s ports and maritime agencies.

Members of the Committee including Rep. Oduoh Alphonso, Rep. Billy Osawaru, and Rep. Wole Oko, called for greater investment in maritime infrastructure, digital tracking systems, and capacity-building programmes to bring the industry in line with international standards.

The Committee also turned it attention to the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) in Oron, where the Acting Rector, Kelvin Okonta, appealed for increased support to help the institution fulfil its training mandate amid operational challenges.

Meanwhile the House Committee Chairman Ibrahim, promised that the National Assembly would continue to prioritise reforms aimed at ensuring transparency, efficiency, and global competitiveness in the maritime sector.

With the budget now approved, lawmakers say they expect significant progress in repositioning the industry as a dependable source of national revenue.