The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Mr Kitack Lim, was scheduled to visit the Federal Republic of Nigeria from Nov. 20 to Nov. 22.
This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Osagie Edward, Assistant Director, Public Relations, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in Lagos on Thursday.
During his visit, the Secretary General would attend the Nigeria International Maritime Summit 2022 where regional policies and operational perspectives to Decarbonization and Green House Gas Emissions in shipping would be the focus.
The Federal Ministry of Transportation and its Agencies in collaboration with the organised maritime private sector under the auspices of Nigeria International Maritime Summit, are hosting the event.
The Minister of Transportation Mr Mu’azu Sambo said the Federal Government was committed to ensuring Nigeria becomes a major destination for global maritime players.
On his part, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, said the visit by Kitack Lim, which was the first by an IMO Secretary General to Nigeria in over fifteen years was a testament to the renewed confidence of the international maritime community in Nigeria.
“We are glad that after fifteen years, an IMO secretary general will be visiting Nigeria.
“Our desire is to continue in this stead until we attain a status of not just the hub of maritime activities in the region, but a major player in the global scene,” he said.
The Chief Executive Officee of NIMS, Dr Emeka Akabogu, noted that the summit would provide a platform for practical issues in operations; and regulations impacting decarbonization in shipping in the West and Central Africa region would be highlighted as a catalyst for igniting the blue economy in the said region.
NLNG Ship Management Limited (NSML) is among the industry stakeholders partnering NIMASA in the Deep Blue Project operational engagement session scheduled as part of the activities of the IMO Secretary General’s visit to Nigeria.
Kitack Lim is also expected to have a firsthand experience of some operational activities of NIMASA, which is the focal Agency of Nigeria liaising with the IMO under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Transportation.
