The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has introduced a capacity-building initiative under the Abuja MoU on Port State Control in furtherance of its sustained initiatives aimed at enhancing maritime safety and regulatory compliance across West and Central Africa
Speaking during the formal launch of the programme on Monday, the NPA Managing Director/CEO Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, commended the key regional leaders, particularly the Abuja MoU Chairman and The Gambia’s Minister of Transport, Works, and Infrastructure, Hon. Ebrima Sillah, for facilitating the agreement on the regional collaboration.
Dantsoho also lauded the Vice-Chairman of the team and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, and the Secretariat headed by Captain Sunday Umoren, for their continued dedication to guiding Port State Control (PSC) standards in the sub-region.
Similarly, the NPA boss also recognized the contributions of the Lloyd’s Register Foundation in supporting the programme.
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According to him, the capacity building launch represents a major milestone in ongoing efforts to strengthen institutional capacity, enhance maritime governance, and support the effective implementation of PSC in the Abuja MoU Region.
The PSC is an international maritime industry control mechanism that acts as a safety net to ensure foreign-flagged ships calling at ports meet global standards for safety, pollution prevention, security, and seafarer welfare.
It complements the primary responsibility of flag states by allowing port authorities to inspect vessels and take enforcement action when necessary.
PSC draws its authority from provisions in major IMO conventions, including SOLAS (safety), MARPOL (pollution prevention), STCW (seafarer training), Load Lines, and others, as well as the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 under the ILO, while the UNCLOS also supports port state rights in this area.
The IMO has been promoting regional cooperation in the global maritime industry through Resolution A.682(17), encouraging MoUs to harmonize inspections, avoid duplication, and focus resources on substandard ships.
The organization regularly updates guidance, with the latest Procedures for Port State Control, 2025 (Assembly Resolution A.1206(34)) providing detailed operational standards.
