IMO’s Kitack Lim in Nigeria for international maritime summit, to inspect NIMASA facilities

By Anthony Nwachukwu

Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation, (IMO), Mr. Kitack Lim, is in Nigeria for the Nigeria International Maritime Summit (NIMS) 2022 on regional policies and operational perspectives to Decarbonisation and Green House Gas Emissions in shipping, among others.

The summit is being hosted by the Federal Ministry of Transportation and its agencies, in collaboration with the organised maritime private sector under the auspices of NIMS, even as the Minister, Mu’azu Sambo, has restated government’s commitment to ensuring Nigeria becomes a major destination for global maritime players.

On his part, the Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh, has described Kitack’s visit – the first by an IMO Secretary General to Nigeria in over 15 years, as a testament to the international maritime community’s renewed confidence in the country.

“We are glad that after 15 years, an IMO Secretary General will be visiting Nigeria,” Jamoh said. “Our desire is to continue in this stead until we attain a status of not just the hub of maritime activities in the region but also a major player in the global scene.”

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of NIMS, Dr Emeka Akabogu, said the summit will provide a platform for practical issues in operations, and that regulations impacting decarbonisation in shipping in the West and Central Africa region would be highlighted as a catalyst for igniting the region’s blue economy.

Also, the NLNG Ship Management Limited (NSML), as an industry stakeholder partnering the NIMASA, is also scheduled for the Deep Blue Project operational engagement session as part of activities for Kitack’s visit.

Kitack is also expected to have a first-hand experience of some operational activities of NIMASA, which is the country’s focal agency liaising with IMO under the supervision transport ministry.