The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has announced its commitment to leveraging technology to enhance its regulatory functions, improve efficiency, and boost revenue generation for the Federal Government.
According to a statement by the agency’s Head of Public Relations, Osagie Edward, on Sunday, the move follows a comprehensive internal review of NIMASA’s operational systems aimed at closing gaps in monitoring and compliance.
A key component of the technological transformation is the deployment of the Maritime Enhanced Monitoring System (MEMS), which brings digital traceability to the core of Nigeria’s maritime operations.
“MEMS provides real-time visibility into vessel movements, operational logs, and regulatory interactions,” Osagie explained.
“With automated alerts, smart invoicing, and centralized data integration, NIMASA can now detect, document, and respond to maritime activities with greater precision and efficiency—eliminating unnecessary bottlenecks while strengthening compliance.”
He noted that one of the major targets for improvement is waste reception services—routine for both domestic and international vessels—which have historically lacked proper tracking.
This has resulted in unmonitored activities and substantial revenue losses. Through MEMS, each waste offload can now be logged, time-stamped, and automatically billed, ensuring environmental standards are upheld while generating consistent revenue.
Marine pollution control, another critical area under NIMASA’s mandate, has also suffered in the past from limited digital oversight.
“Without satellite tracking and automated reporting, pollution events often went unnoticed or were reported too late to mitigate environmental damage,” he said.
“Now, with modern surveillance systems, digital logbooks, and real-time alerts, NIMASA can respond swiftly to pollution incidents, recover environmental damages, and hold polluters accountable both legally and financially.”
Osagie further explained that past revenue shortfalls experienced by the agency were largely due to outdated manual processes, fragmented data systems, and inadequate digital enforcement tools—factors that external actors exploited for personal gain.
“The ongoing reforms at NIMASA are designed to overcome these systemic weaknesses. By investing in digital infrastructure and streamlining monitoring systems, the agency is positioning itself to fulfill its statutory obligations with greater transparency, efficiency, and accountability,” he added.
Responding to recent reports claiming the agency had commenced a concession of its operations, Osagie dismissed the allegations as false and misleading.
“There is no iota of truth in the reports suggesting that NIMASA has embarked on any form of concession. These are the handiwork of both internal and external elements attempting to exploit the existing system for personal benefit,” he stated.
“We urge the public to disregard these baseless claims and instead support NIMASA’s transformation journey, which aligns with the national objectives of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
He reaffirmed NIMASA’s commitment to enhancing maritime governance, environmental protection, and revenue optimization for national development.