Does IMO election triumph atone for 2025 unfulfilled promises?

Nigeria, in 2025, returned to the Council seats of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) after a 14-year absence, a development that restores the nation to reckoning among the comity of maritime nations. In this report, TOLA ADENUBI speaks to stakeholders on whether this atones for near misses and unfulfilled promises that shaped Nigeria’s maritime industry in 2025. Excerpts:

Nigeria,in November recorded a historic victory as the country was re-elected into the Category C of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council for the 2026–2027 biennium, after her last appearance between 2009-2011.

The election, held during the IMO General Assembly in London, marks the country’s triumphant return to the Council after a 14-year absence, restoring it to reckoning among the comity of maritime nations.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, who led Nigeria’s campaign, said the victory crowned over 12 months of intensive diplomacy shuttles, targeted engagements and sustained advocacy across various countries and maritime blocs.

With the win rounding up an eventful 2025, stakeholders have expressed divergent views on how the year fared in terms of development and expected promises.

INDIGENIOUS SHIP-OWNERS

For indigenous shipowners, the IMO win is an excellent achievement that deserves all the celebrations that can be given. However, they expect government to replicate the same energy used to win the IMO election in the shipping industry.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, the president of the Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA), Sola Adewunmi, explained that foreign vessels still dominate Nigeria’s cabotage space even as many indigenous ship-owners remain jobless.

According to the NISA president, “What Nigeria has achieved on the international scene is commendable. Returning to the IMO Council after 14 years’ absence is laudable. We must commend the Federal Government for this. However, locally, have we achieved anything?

“The government said it is putting lots of arrangements together in terms of the establishment of a National Carrier. Until those things are put in place and Nigerians can benefit from it, I don’t think much has been achieved in the maritime industry this year.

“Every day, the number of vessels owned by indigenous operators keeps declining while foreigners keep taking the jobs meant for Nigerians. This is not good for Nigerian operators involved in Cabotage trade.

“So, for us at NISA, Nigeria has achieved a lot with the re-election into the IMO Council seat, but we will like that to reflect locally. We expect to see the mileage that the IMO election win brings reflect in what we are doing back home.

“Let’s see that improvement in the number of vessels owned by Nigerians.”

SHIPPERS

For shippers under the aegis of the Shippers Association of Lagos State (SALS), in some areas, Nigeria has won, while in others, the country keeps losing revenue. Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, president of SALS, Nicodemus Odolo, explained that until the cost of doing business in Nigerian ports is the cheapest in West Africa and the continent at large, nothing can be said to have been achieved in the Nigerian maritime industry.

According to Nicodemus Odolo, “Like I do say, cost of doing business in Nigerian ports is very high compared to other ports in West Africa. Regaining IMO seat during the last election in London is merely political. It does not translate to the reduction of the cost of doing business in Nigerian ports.

“As at today, Nigeria is the destination to a very large number of imports, but she does not have her own ship. Many of these goods coming into Nigeria are carried by foreign vessels.

“As a Shipper, if your cargo is onboard a foreign vessel, you are at the mercy of the foreign ship-owners. They decide what you pay. If you go to our neighbouring ports, the shipment that these foreign vessel owners will freight for $300 to Lome Port, they will be charging $2,500 to come to Nigerian ports. What is our crime?

“When the cargoes finally arrive Nigerian ports, two to three weeks, they are still stuck in the ports. We are advocating for import cargo to be cleared within 24 hours, while export cargoes should be cleared within 12 hours. Is it not achievable? It is achievable, but some vested interest, who feed fat on detention of cargoes inside the ports won’t allow that to happen.

“That is why we are clamouring that everybody should own up to their responsibilities. When cargoes overstay inside our ports, who bears the cost of that delay?

“At the end of the day, the Shippers pay for these delays and shift the cost to the end-users, that is the consumers. That’s why goods are very expensive at our markets.”

BARGE OPERATORS

In his own views, the president of Barge Operators Association of Nigeria (BOAN), Mr Bunmi Olumekun, stated that even though many issues remain unaddressed, the Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, has surpassed expectations with the IMO election win.

“The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has done very well this year. Initially, when he was appointed, we were all looking at him as an old man that has nothing to deliver. But the IMO election win has shown that this man knows what he wants. He has a focus.

“Back home, there are issues confronting barge operators, but we are very optimistic that by half year 2026, much would have been achieved. We expect to start seeing a lot of improvement by middle of next year.

“If we are talking about the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), everybody knows that barge operators have a very big role to play if Nigeria must become competitive. We know the minister is working on this and we are expecting the government to focus on this by next year.

“This year, much energy was geared towards the nation’s return to the IMO Council seats. This has been accomplished and we expect government to focus on Nigeria’s active participation in AfCFTA by next year. The nation’s barging sector must be focused on for us to benefit from the AfCFTA trade as a country,” Mr. Olumekun told the Nigerian Tribune.

IMO elections: Why FG’s maritime policies may brighten Nigeria’s chances — Stakeholders