The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has accredited 27 registered shipyards in the country based on their compliance with the agency’s regulatory, safety, and operational standards.
The accreditation of the affected shipyards is in accordance with its mandate enshrined in section 22 of the NIMASA Act, 2007, and sections 335-339 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2007, which give the agency statutory powers to regulate, license, inspect and enforce standards for shipyard operations in Nigeria.
The official list of the shipyards showed that out of the 27 accredited facilities, 10 are located in Lagos State, eight in Rivers State, and nine in Delta State.
The Director-General of the regulatory agency, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, who announced the accredited shipyards in Lagos, explained that the accreditation exercise formed part of the NIMASA’s broader drive to enhance safety and streamline operational efficiency in the maritime industry.
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He expatiated: “Our goal is to ensure that every shipyard operating in Nigeria adheres to international standards of safety, environmental protection, and operational efficiency. By maintaining a transparent and credible register of accredited facilities, we are boosting investor confidence, protecting maritime assets, and promoting sustainable industry growth.
“This underscores the agency’s sustained commitment to promoting transparency, safety, and quality service delivery in ship repair, dry-docking, and vessel construction within Nigeria”, the industry expert added.
As part of the benefits of this accreditation, vessels to be built at these facilities will be assigned a Keel Identification Number (KIN) by the agency’s Maritime Safety and Seafarers Standards Department at the time of construction, in accordance with the Certificate of Plan and Specification Approval.
The KIN will make such vessels to be eligible to obtain an IMO number.
The Director-General maintained that the verification and accreditation process remained a continuous one, aimed at ensuring operational excellence across the nation’s maritime value chain.
Mobereola added that by maintaining an updated and transparent registry of accredited facilities, NIMASA sought to enhance industry confidence, protect investments, and align local operations with global best practices.
