The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has commenced a full digital manifest management regime for all vessels calling Nigerian ports.
According to a statement by Osagie Edward, assistant director, public relations of NIMASA, the physical transactions concerning issuing of sailing certificates, and cargo manifest processing are being totally phased out as stakeholders are now encouraged to fully embrace the agency’s initiative by visiting the NIMASA portal.
Bashir Jamoh, the director-general of NIMASA, said the process was aimed at further reducing human interaction, improving efficiency and blocking revenue leakages.
“In line with the Federal Government’s Executive Order on Ease of Doing Business, we are committed to improving turnaround time of vessels, reducing human interface in the majority of our transactions with our stakeholders. This is in line with our bid to ensure transparency and professionalism that the sector requires to grow,” Jamoh said.
Read also: NIMASA renews stevedoring rates for offshore cargo
According to him, NIMASA has improved its operational relationship with other sister agencies by recording tremendous progress in its determination to electronically convey sailing clearance for vessels to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
“We also receive and process manifests electronically. This has improved efficiency leading to improvement in the turnaround time of vessels calling at the nation’s ports,” Jamoh said.
Continuing, he said: “Right now we have ensured that the process of submitting and processing manifests is reduced from 72 hours to five hours for VLCCs (Very Large Crude Carriers) and larger container vessels whereas it would only take two hours or less for smaller vessels.”
The NIMASA DG noted that the benefits that would be derived from the full digitalisation of the agency’s processes expected to be completed by 2022, would be enormous not just for stakeholders, but for the country at large, including helping to improve the balance of trade and commercial shipping activities in Nigeria.
NIMASA had always advocated for the automation of its processes for enhanced and effective delivery of services. This renewed drive is seen as another stride in the total transformation of the maritime sector for the nation’s economic benefit.
