2. MARITIME SAFETY AND SECURITY: TODAYS CHALLENGES AND THE REGULATORY ROLE OF THE SAFETY ADMINISTRATION IN ENSURING SAFE AND SECURE SHIPPING
PRESENTATION BY DR DAKUKU A. PETERSIDE DIRECTOR GENERAL   NIGERIAN MARITIME ADMINISTRATION AND SAFETY AGENCY (NIMASA) AT THE
10TH NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL MARITIME PORTS AND TERMINAL (NIMPORT) CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION HOLDING AT EKO HOTEL AND SUITES, LAGOS FROM 22ND TO 24TH AUGUST, 2017

3. INTRODUCTION
Maritime safety and security are fundamental to the facilitation of sea borne trade and the maintenance of good governance at sea.
There are no standard or universal definitions of these concepts. However there is a collective agreement that they include and comprise of measures aimed at ensuring safe and secure shipping.
Safe and secure shipping is necessary to guarantee and enhance trade connectivity between coastal and landlocked states.

4. SAFETY AND CONCERNS IN THE NIGERIAN MARITIME DOMAIN AND THE GULF OF GUINEA
Maritimes crimes such as piracy, oil theft, illegal trafficking in narcotics, small and light weapons proliferation still continue to pose a threat to the Gulf of Guinea and undermine the international and continental efforts at ensuring the safety of navigation. For example reports indicate that much of the piracy that affects West Africa is a product of the disorder that surrounds the regional oil industry.
A large share of the recent piracy attacks targeted vessels carrying petroleum products. These vessels are attacked because there is a booming black market for fuel in West Africa.
Without this ready market, there would be little point in attacking these vessels. …Nigeria contains half the population of the region, and contributes more than half of the regional GDP. Oil is the source of 95% of Nigeria's foreign exchange earnings and up to 80% of budgetary revenues. It is the single most important industry in the entire region, and for two decades has been threatened by transnational organized crime.

5. SAFETY AND CONCERNS IN THE IN THE NIGERIAN MARITIME DOMAIN AND THE GULF OF GUINEA CONTD.
The stability and efficiency of Nigeria’s international trading systems, as well as the sustainable inflow of foreign capital and technology in oil and gas investment, to a large extent, depends on the performance of the security authorities, the maritime administration and relevant government agencies to curb these transnational organised crimes. The overall performance of Nigerian security organizations including NIMASA therefore has a direct effect on Nigeria as a major shipping hub to guarantee connectivity and trade among her neighbours (coastal and landlocked).

6. SAFETY AND SECURITY CONCERNS IN NIGERIAN WATERS AND THE GULF OF GUINEA CONTD.
Piracy and Armed Robbery at sea are threats to the global maritime domain.

7. MARITIME THREATS CONTD.
Crude oil theft
Armed Robbery at sea
IUU Fishing
Smuggling
Transnational Organised Crimes
Drug Trafficking
Hostage taking and Kidnap
Proliferation of small arms and light weapons

8. OTHER CHALLENGES HINDERING SAFE SHIPPING
Regulating a large maritime coastline of 853km and enforcing regulatory standards on all offshore vessels/platforms engaged in trade and other maritime activities is enormous and expensive
Keeping pace with technological advancements
Infrastructural Challenges-
Lack/inadequate Maritime Domain Awareness
Absence of navigational charts, aids and systems
Absence /inadequate platforms to carry out safety and security patrols and enforcement

9. ROLE OF NIMASA AS A SAFETY ADMINISTRATION IN ENSURING SAFE AND SECURE SHIPPING
NIMASA was established by an Act of Parliament in 2007 with a broad mandate of carrying out the following amongst others:
Regulating and promoting maritime safety, security and maritime labour;
Marine pollution prevention and control from ships;
Providing search and rescue services;
Performing port and flag state duties; and
Implementation of international (IMO/ILO) instruments on maritime transportation amongst others.

10. NIMASA also has the responsibility of superintending over:
ROLE OF NIMASA CONTD.
NIMASA also has the responsibility of superintending over:
the administration of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2007 in relation to merchant shipping and other matters connected thereto;
the Coastal and Inland Shipping (CABOTAGE) Act, 2003 which has the objective of creating opportunities for indigenous entrepreneurs in the area of domestic coastal trade (oil and gas), seafarers and ship builders within the maritime domestic trade sector of the economy.

11. EFFORTS AT ENSURING SAFE AND SECURE SHIPPING
Ratification and Domestication of Relevant International Treaties
Safety, Security and Marine Environment Management
To date, Nigeria has ratified thirty-five (35) IMO Conventions/Protocols including the ILO MLC 2006.
About thirty-four (34) maritime Regulations have been gazetted pursuant to the Merchant Shipping Act 2007 and the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act 20
12 relevant maritime safety conventions of the IMO which are necessary for ensuring regional maritime security and safety have also been domesticated.
8 relevant conventions and protocols on marine environment have also been domesticated in order to ensure a clean marine environment
While efforts are being made by the Safety Administration through the Federal Ministry of Transportation for the domestication of other ratified Conventions.

12. EFFORTS CONTD. INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL INITIATIVES RMRCC
NIMASA on behalf of Nigeria houses one of the five designated Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres in Africa. Nigeria through NIMASA under this mandate has the responsibility to provide search and rescue coordination as well as coordinate security in the waters of Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe and Togo in addition to its territorial waters.
ISPS CODE
In 2013 the Nigerian Maritime Safety Administration became the Designated Authority (DA) for the implementation of the ISPS Code. Nigeria has successfully carried out security assessments on all of its port facilities. Presently, Nigeria’s compliance level in its port facilities is over 90% within the short time the Safety Administration became a Designated Authority.

13. NATIONAL EFFORTS
MOU’s with the Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Airforce for the provision of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations, Search and Rescue (SAR) operations at sea, Tactical Airlift operations and enforcement action.
Installation of satellite surveillance systems, Coastal radar systems and Global Maritime Distress and Safety Systems (GMDSS),
Acquisition of Fast Intervention Boats for Enforcement action
Construction of Search and Rescue Jetties

14. NATIONAL EFFORTS CONTD.
Facilitation of a draft of an Anti Piracy Legislation to suppress piracy and other maritime crimes in Nigeria.
Establishment of Search and Rescue Marshalls in Nigerian Riverine communities to act as first responders to maritime incidents in these communities.
Establishment of Marine Litter Marshals to prevent unregulated dumping of marine wastes in Nigerian waters which pose a threat to Nigeria’s marine ecosystem.

15. FUTURE DIRECTION
As the Safety Administration in Nigeria, we hold the view that in order to ensure a robust maritime security and safety architecture to improve connectivity and enhance sea borne trade, the following are necessary:
Ensuring Full Domain Awareness through the deployment of satellite surveillance systems with a reach capability of the Exclusive Economic Zone and beyond.
The use of modern technology like the Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) to monitor traffic movement and surveillance in order to timely respond to threats and incidents.
The foregoing is in addition to the use of drones and UAV’s

16. FUTURE DIRECTION CONTD.
Procurement of fast patrol boats and helicopters to ensure coastal and aerial surveillance and patrol of the Nigerian maritime environment by the Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

17. CONCLUSION
As a result of the vast and expansive territorial borders, maritime countries are faced with numerous maritime threats.
The use and deployment of modern day surveillance technology, adequate maritime infrastructure in addition to the effective implementation of international and municipal laws on maritime safety and security is the way to go in ensuring improved connectivity and enhanced trade among maritime nations.

18. Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)
THANK YOU
I thank you very much indeed for your attention
Dr Dakuku A. Peterside
Director General/CEO
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)