The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s shipbuilding and shipyard capacity as part of a broader strategy to deepen the nation’s blue economy and reduce capital flight in the maritime sector.
A press statement signed by Osagie EdwardDeputy Director/Head, Public Relations, NIMASA said the assurance was given at a high-level stakeholders’ breakfast meeting organised by the agency in Lagos under the theme: “Dissecting the Issues, Challenges, and Prospects in the Shipbuilding Segment – Discussing Funding Models, Incentives, and Policy Support for Shipyards Growth.”
The event was held at the Nigerian Maritime Resource Development Centre (NMRDC), Kirikiri.
Delivering the welcome address as Chairman of the occasion, the Executive Director, Operations, NIMASA, Engr. Fatai Taiye Adeyemi, described shipbuilding as a capital-intensive and technically demanding sector that requires deliberate financial models and consistent policy support to achieve sustainable growth.
Represented by the Director, Marine Environment Management, Dr. Oma Offodile, Adeyemi said the meeting was convened to undertake a frank assessment of the structural challenges confronting the industry and to build consensus around pragmatic funding frameworks and incentives capable of driving competitive shipyard growth.
“Shipbuilding is a strategic pillar of Nigeria’s maritime and blue economy aspirations. It is capital-intensive, technically demanding, and highly competitive. That is why deliberate funding models, targeted incentives, and policy consistency are critical,” he said.
According to him, engagements with stakeholders are aimed at addressing structural constraints, building local technical capacity, reducing capital flight, and positioning Nigerian shipyards to compete sustainably.
He noted that global developments — including maritime decarbonisation, fuel transition, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical uncertainties — have significantly reshaped the shipbuilding landscape, heightening the need for strong domestic capacity to support shipping, offshore energy, defence, and other critical maritime assets.
Adeyemi identified major challenges facing the sector including limited access to affordable capital due to high capital expenditure and cyclical revenues, shortage of skilled manpower, underinvestment in automation and green technologies, insufficient scale to compete globally, as well as policy inconsistency and procurement uncertainty.
He further stressed that shipyards are central to maritime decarbonisation efforts, as they are responsible for constructing energy-efficient vessels that meet International Maritime Organisation (IMO) standards. Sustaining Nigeria’s recent return to Category C of the IMO Council, he added, requires a vibrant and technically sound shipbuilding ecosystem.
“A competitive shipbuilding industry is not just about vessels; it is about jobs, technology transfer, industrial growth, and strengthening Nigeria’s standing in global maritime governance,” he said.
In his keynote address, the Managing Director of Starz Marine Limited, Engr. Greg Ogbeifun, commended the Federal Government for establishing the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, describing the move as strategic to unlocking the sector’s full potential.
He called for deliberate government intervention to support shipyard operators through improved access to financing, fiscal incentives, and regulatory stability to enhance capacity, boost competitiveness, and attract investment.
In their goodwill messages, shipyard owners pledged collaboration with NIMASA to reduce capital flight and build indigenous capacity, emphasising the need for targeted support, skills development, and predictable policy frameworks.
Stakeholders at the meeting broadly endorsed NIMASA’s renewed drive to strengthen local shipbuilding capacity, agreeing on the need for coordinated funding mechanisms, incentives, and long-term policy consistency to address short-, medium-, and long-term industry challenges.
NIMASA’s renewed focus aligns with its mandate under the NIMASA Act, 2007, which empowers the agency to promote shipping development, maritime safety, and capacity building within Nigeria’s maritime industry — a statutory responsibility that places shipyard development at the heart of sustainable maritime growth.
Picture Caption: From 2nd left: Director, Marine Environment Management, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr Oma Offodile; Director, Cabotage Services, NIMASA, Gloria Anyasodo; Director, Shipping Development, NIMASA, Abdullahi Yelwa; Registrar of Ships, Iyelolu Adenike; CEO STARZS Marine and Engineering Ltd. Engr. Greg Ogbeifun and others during the stakeholders’ breakfast meeting organised by NIMASA at the Nigeria Maritime Resource Development Centre in Kirikiri, Lagos.
