Nigeria’s maritime industry potentials hugely undertapped- WAPS’ Manager

Nigeria’s maritime industry has been described as a greenfield that is marginally undertapped in all aspects of the maritime and shipping trade, government and stakeholders have therefore tbeen enjoined to deploy more human and capital resources to exploit the vast potentials for national development.

This was the position proffered by the Operation Manager of West Atlantic Ports Services, Mr Zaki Salaudeen, in a brief interview with PortNews in Lagos .

“First and foremost, l am especially happy that the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, himself announced recently that the Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund (CVFF) will be given out to deserving beneficiaries in due course. This will be a good development for Nigeria’s maritime industry growth and development. Honestly, our maritime industry, vis a vis our huge population and bubbling economy, boasts huge potentials that, when properly tapped could provide jobs, abundant wealth and worldwide respect to us as a nation,” Zaki explained passionately.

He noted that all the factors supportive of a burgeoning shipping industry growth are surprisingly abundantly available to tap by Nigerians. He said NIMASA’s Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme ( NSDP) project has successfully trained and graduated shipping cadets to fruition, and now that government has promised to give out CVFF loans for vessels acquisition, they should not tarry in doing it so that these young professionals can have the opportunity to further their careers.

He cited the example of Philippines that has made fortunes from producing master mariners and engineers who are ubiquitous in vessels around the world. “We may be about to start great things as a nation. NIMASA is spearheading this with CVFF and these young sea professionals. I think they will be a source of pride to our nation in the maritime space worldwide, just like the Philippines which has made itself the foremost nation in sea trade and travel, bringing in humongous wealth into its economy from the industry,” he noted.

Zaki declared that WAPS has fared well as a vessel handling and oil and gas services company with tentacles in Togo, Ghana, Cameroon, and Benin Republic. He said the company has taken full advantage of the Dangote Refinery which provides more goods carriages in the West African maritime routes.

He also lauded NIMASA for providing lT tools that have enhanced operations as well as a safe maritime domain.

Zaki enthused that WAPS mission is to raise the bar, the standards in the Nigerian and African maritime trade to the envy of the rest of the world. “Our vision is to use WAPS as a beacon for high standards maritime operation which the government and people of Nigeria and indeed all of Africa will be proud of. We are on course,” he submitted.