NMDPRA $2000 shipowner registration fee faulty – Omatseye

A former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Temisan Omatseye has faulted the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority’s collection of $2000 registration fees for Indigenous shipowners.

Omatseye disclosed this while speaking in Lagos recently at the 2024 stakeholders’ engagement.

According to him, the regulation of Nigeria’s maritime sector is entirely the responsibility of NIMASA as mandated by its establishment Act.

He noted that NMDPRA doesn’t have the power to collect shipowner registration fees or others in the maritime sector.

He urged the Ministry of Maritime and Blue Economy to take responsibility for the industry.

“And they don’t have any powers at all because all powers are related, these are international provisions,” he noted.

“NMDPRA is insisting on one license where each shipowner pays $2,000 to register and now they are asking for another N2 million.

“Even any cable laid on the seabed belongs to NIMASA; any pipeline laid on the seabed belongs to NMASA.

“So, all they are asking for is that the ministry needs to step up, take back its responsibility, and give it back to NIMASA.

“Let us sit down with NIMASA and manage our industry,” he said.