The management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has embraced technology to enhance the fulfilment of its regulatory mandate and generate additional revenue for the government by blocking avenues for pilfering government funds.
A pivotal innovation in this regard is the Maritime Enhanced Monitoring System (MEMS). This system brings digital traceability to the core of Nigeria’s maritime operations. MEMS provides real-time visibility into vessel movements, operational logs, and regulatory interactions. Through automated alerts, smart invoicing, and centralised data integration, NIMASA can now detect, document, and respond to maritime activities with greater precision and efficiency, eliminating unnecessary bottlenecks while strengthening compliance.
This is contrary to sponsored publications falsely alleging that the Agency has embarked on a concession of its operations, a statement by NIMASA’s Head of Public Relations, Mr Osagie Edward, on Sunday stated. “The management wishes to categorically state that these claims have no iota of truth. This is the handiwork of some external and internal elements who have conspired to benefit from the current porous system.
To clarify, after conducting a thorough internal review of the agency’s operational systems, the current leadership of NIMASA decided to adopt technology. This decision was made to enhance the agency’s ability to fulfil its regulatory mandate more effectively, generate additional revenue for the government, and prevent public funds from falling into private hands.
“It is worth noting that the Deep Blue Project of the Agency, which now enjoys global recognition, also witnessed such resistance at the initial stage”.
According to the statement, “Other areas of the Agency’s operations targeted for digital reforms are the waste reception services, a routine operation for both domestic and international vessels that have traditionally lacked proper tracking, resulting in unmonitored activities and significant revenue losses. With MEMS, each waste offload can be logged, time-stamped, and automatically billed, converting previously missed opportunities into a consistent revenue stream while ensuring environmental standards are met.
“Marine pollution control, another critical area of NIMASA’s mandate, has similarly been constrained by limited digital tools. In the absence of satellite tracking and automated reporting, pollution events often go unnoticed or are reported too late to mitigate their impact. With the integration of modern surveillance systems, digital logbooks, and real-time alerts, NIMASA can now respond swiftly to such incidents, recover environmental damages, and hold polluters accountable, both legally and financially.
“It is important to emphasise that past revenue shortfalls experienced by the agency mainly stemmed from outdated manual processes, fragmented data systems, and insufficient digital enforcement mechanisms, which allowed some external entities to capitalise on loopholes for personal gains.”
“The current reforms being implemented by NIMASA are focused squarely on overcoming these limitations. By investing in digital infrastructure and streamlining monitoring systems, the agency is positioning itself to fulfil its statutory obligations with transparency, efficiency, and accountability.
“The public is therefore advised to disregard the misleading reports and instead support NIMASA’s transformation journey as it aligns with the broader national objectives of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
“The agency remains committed to strengthening Nigeria’s maritime governance, ensuring environmental safety, and optimising revenue for the nation.
It is worth noting that the Deep Blue Project of the Agency, which now enjoys global recognition, also witnessed such resistance at the initial stage.
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