The lack of ship building yards in Nigeria, capital flight as a result of the purchase of new and second hand ships outside the shores of Nigeria, the non-participation of indigenous ship owners in the carriage of local cargo and the absence of a national shipping line had been blamed as a major set back to the growth of the Nigerian economy.
This was the views of the Marine Engineers and Naval Architects (MENA) Division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) who gathered to brainstorm in Lagos Tuesday on the occasion of the 3rd Annual conference and Annual General Meeting of the Division with the theme, “ The Development of Marine Structures in the Nigerian Economy: Challenges and the Way forward”.
Speaking in an opening address, the Chairman of the Division, Engr. Navy Capt. Dominic Onabanjo stated that it was no longer news that over 90 percent of the international trade was being carried on ship as well, oil and gas which was the economic mainstay of Nigeria were also being carried by ships.
Onabanjo disclosed that new ship building orders for this year alone in the ship building sub-sector globally amounted to billions of dollars regretting that out of over 50,000 ships trading internationally, none was built in Nigeria.
He wondered what the nation’s share of the multi-billion dollar business was imagining how it was possible that countries like Vietnam and Malaysia ranked among the ship building nations with many ship building yards whereas Nigeria was yet to lay its first keel of ocean going merchant ships.
In his words, “ truly, the lack of ship building yards in Nigeria has dealt a devastating blow on our economy. From capital flight arising from the purchase of new and second hand ships outside our shores to the non-participation of indigenous ship owners in the carriage of local cargo and the absence of a national shipping line has suffered huge economic loss”.
The MENA Division Chairman however hinted that the Division received with joy the establishment and the ground breaking ceremony of NIMASA ship yard and dock yard by the government .
While describing the project as laudable,Capt. Onabanjo cautioned that there should be proper management of the project from the execution stage through the completion and throughout its operational life in order to avoid a set back.
“We say this reminiscent of the ugly experience with Nigerdock. Some good lessons must therefore be learnt in order not to allow the mistakes of the past to rob off on this new project”, he advised.
While submitting that education and training were the bedrocks of a truly productive maritime nation, he however pointed out that the supporting blocks needed to support training and education of Marine Engineers, Naval Architects and other Maritime professional in the country were lacking.
He therefore, surmised that concerted efforts must be made by the government, the private sector and professional bodies to ensure that the Maritime industry in Nigeria was redirected to achieve its full potentials.
According to him,” it is no longer news that government has already taken steps towards this direction by establishing some maritime Universities and specialized maritime courses in some of the Nigerian Universities”.
While we commend these lofty ideas, we are worried that there may not be enough qualified manpower to support this initiative. We, however, see hope in the present effort of government as it is a good starting point irrespective of some perceived challenges”.
