The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has vowed to end the issuance of cabotage waivers in Nigeria’s maritime sector, declaring it a key step toward empowering indigenous operators and boosting local capacity.
According to a statement released by the media and communications adviser to the Minister, Bolaji Akinola on Sunday, Oyetola made this known while receiving a delegation from NNPC Shipping, Stena Bulk, and Caverton Offshore Support Group in Abuja, following the unveiling of Unity Shipping World (USW) a joint venture aimed at strengthening tanker operations for crude oil, refined products, and LNG within Nigeria and beyond.
“The era of indiscriminate waivers is coming to an end,” Oyetola said. “We cannot continue to undermine our local capacity under the guise of temporary foreign intervention. It is time to build Nigerian tonnage, support Nigerian jobs and give indigenous operators a fair chance to thrive.”.
He also reaffirmed his directive to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to fast-track the long-awaited disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) to support local shipowners in acquiring modern vessels.
Caverton’s CEO, Bode Makanjuola, described the USW partnership as a transformative initiative that combines local expertise with global standards.
“Unity Shipping World will proudly fly the Nigerian flag and play a critical role in training and empowering Nigerian seafarers,” he said.
The project partners, including NNPC Shipping’s Panos Gliatis and Stena Bulk’s CEO Erik Hånell, commended the collaboration as a strategic boost to Nigeria’s maritime and energy logistics capacity.
