By Faridat Salifu
The House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education, and Administration has approved the 2025 budget proposal of ₦774.77 billion for the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), with marine operations and infrastructure at the center of its strategic focus.
The approval was granted during a budget defence session in Abuja on Monday, July 8, 2025, following a presentation by NIMASA’s Director-General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, who was represented by Executive Director for Finance and Administration, Mr. Chidi Offodile.
The agency projected total revenues of ₦774.66 billion in 2025, with ₦264.96 billion available for operations after mandatory remittances to federal accounts and the maritime fund.
Offodile explained that NIMASA’s key revenue sources remain rooted in maritime operations, including freight levies, offshore waste management, marine environment protection charges, and ship registration.
He added that new revenue is also expected from enhanced automation of marine services and the rollout of a modular floating dock aimed at improving ship repair capacity within Nigerian waters.
According to the agency, this floating dock expected to reduce capital flight and improve vessel turnaround time is a key investment in strengthening local ship maintenance and enhancing flag-state control.
The agency also highlighted efforts to scale up marine safety surveillance and regulatory compliance through digital systems to support cleaner, safer navigation across Nigeria’s territorial waters.
The House committee, chaired by Rep. Khadija Abba-Ibrahim, questioned the agency’s ability to double its revenue after collecting only ₦370 billion of its ₦467.4 billion target in 2024.
The committee also raised concerns over the 73 percent increase in proposed personnel costs from ₦42 billion in 2024 to ₦73 billion in 2025 and queried whether this rise was due to staffing expansion in marine operations or increased administrative overhead.
Lawmakers further scrutinized NIMASA’s capital budget of ₦89 billion, asking how it will be implemented if 50 percent of internally generated revenue is now subject to automatic remittance to the federal treasury.
Responding to the committee, Offodile maintained that NIMASA’s projections are grounded in expectations of increased oil production, expanded maritime domain activities, and stronger partnerships across the marine sector.
He said greater automation will improve revenue efficiency, vessel tracking, and enforcement within Nigeria’s Exclusive Economic Zone, boosting national maritime governance.
The committee also urged the agency to release the ₦200 billion already earmarked for critical upgrades at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron an institution seen as vital to training the next generation of seafarers and marine safety officers.
With the approval now secured at the committee level, the proposed 2025 budget will be forwarded to the House plenary for final adoption.
