… as NIMASA prioritises enabling environment for Dangote Refinery

L-R: Executive Director Operations, NIMASA, Engr. Fatai Taye Adeyemi; MD Dangote Port Operations, Akin Omole; DG NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh; Snr. General Manager, DPRP, Dangote Group, Bukar Abba and GCSO Dangote Group, Aliyu Suleiman during a recent courtesy visit by the MD Dangote Ports Operations to the NIMASA headquarters in Lagos.

The Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Doctor Bashir Jamoh, has said that the Agency is committed to ensuring that the business of the Dangote Ports and Refinery is not hindered by the implementation of the regulatory instrument under the provisions of the Cabotage Law. 

Jamoh, who made the assertions during a courtesy visit by a delegation from Dangote Port operations, led by the Managing Director of the Company, Mr. Akin Omole, to NIMASA, said that the Agency will work with Dangote Ports to also ensure the Group does not breach any regulation of the federal government as regards Wet Cargo affreightment.

Both parties agreed to set up a working committee to address the operational concerns at the refinery within 14 days.

“I suggested a joint committee with membership from NIMASA and Dangote to sit down and look at issues objectively. Our priority is to ensure regulatory implementation does not impede the operations of Dangote Ports and by extension, Dangote Refinery.

“Though the coming on stream of the Dangote Refinery would lead to a drop in NIMASA revenue, because ships importing petroleum products would reduce drastically thus reducing the three per cent (3%) freight levy collected by the Agency. However, Nigerian economic growth and long term benefit to the Nigerian masses is far better than immediate revenue for NIMASA,” Jamoh said.

On his part, Omole said his team will ensure that the refinery is not in breach of the Cabotage Act.

In his words: “We talked about business being done in a way that there is no obstruction, no delay. In shipping, a day’s delay is a huge cost, we have an average of over $50,000 demurrage on a ship per day, so we want to be sure that these kinds of delays are not experienced.

“All bottlenecks, hindrances that will cause the delay will be addressed jointly and collaboratively with our team and NIMASA team.”

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