The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has lamented that Nigeria remains the only member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) that doesn’t not have a national shipping line to bear its flag.
Speaking recently in Lagos, Oyetola recommended the establishment of a national carrier through public-private partnership arrangement for freight transport in the country.
He observed that the establishment of a national carrier would put an end to over 30% freight charges in Nigeria.
Oyetola, however, noted that his call for a national line should not be misrepresented as a call for the re-establishment of the moribund Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL).
According to a statement by Henshaw Ogubike, the minister admittedly considered the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Modular Floating Dock.
The minister said the Floating Dock has the capacity to generate jobs and stem capital flight and, therefore, called on the agency to explore the buy-in of stakeholders.
He also expressed government’s determination to reposition the maritime sector for the welfare and well-being of Nigerians.
