Business
NIMASA Targets Blue Economy As Nigeria’s Cash Cow
The Director-General, Nigeria Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh, says the agency is working on making blue economy Nigeria’s main source of revenue.
Jamoh made this known to reporters on the sidelines of the three-day Nigeria-Netherlands Economic Consultation in Abuja which ended yesterday.
The Economic Consultation facilitated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeks to modify the trade treaty between Nigeria and the Netherlands to boost economic cooperation.
Jamoh said NIMASA is driving policies that would enable Nigeria explore from the over $2.5 trillion worth of ocean resources that the world has.
The NIMASA DG said collaborating with the Netherlands as a maritime nation would enable Nigeria achieve this goal for mutual benefits.
“We are seeing what we can explore from the over $2.5 trillion worth of ocean resources that we have.
“If oceans were to be an economy, it would be the seventh largest in the world just followed by Britain and next to Brazil.
“The Netherlands, being a member of the council, was re-elected in 2021. They have one of the largest ports in Europe and one of the largest in the world if you exclude Asia”, he said.
He continued that “The resources in our oceans and seas are an economy that cannot be ignored.
“I have looked at the trade relationship between Nigeria and the Netherlands, the major components used to be petroleum, fish, and milk. So, also, the exports between Nigeria and the Netherlands.
“The amount of export from Nigeria to Netherlands amount to about 2.63 billion as at 2021, while from the Netherlands to Nigeria upon 4.58 million. But in so doing, what is the contribution and the percentage of our oceans.
“Inspite of the fact that we have 853km of our own coastal line, we have about 10,000 kilometers of our inland water ways and all these, the resources in this have a lot of potentials of building both economies”.
which would allow NIMASA disburse 700 million dollars for ship expansion in Nigeria.
He also called for increased capacity building between both countries to continue to develop the human resources on the sector.
This is also as Jamoh lamented Nigeria grappling with just one maritime university as compared to Netherlands, a country smaller than Nigeria having six maritime universities.
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.