By Juliet Umeh
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, and the University of Lagos Business School have commenced discussions on collaboration to strengthen research, innovation and capacity development in Nigeria’s maritime and logistics sector.
The discussions took place when Executive PhD and Master’s students of the University of Lagos Business School visited NIMASA on a study tour led by Associate Professor of Transport Planning and Logistics and Programme Coordinator of the Doctor of Urban Logistics and Transport Planning, Dr. Olayinka Agunloye.
Speaking during the visit, Director of NIMASA’s Cabotage Services Department, Ms. Gloria Anyasodo, described the engagement as strategic, saying research remains the foundation of sustainable development.
“NIMASA collaborates with all relevant stakeholders, especially academic institutions. They are more focused on research and development, and research helps us identify the gaps, where we are and where we should be going,” she said.
She disclosed that the agency was prioritising capacity building and digitalisation to improve efficiency across the maritime sector.
According to her, NIMASA is deploying the Maritime Enhanced Monitoring System, MEMS, which will integrate its existing digital platforms to enable real-time monitoring of vessels, cargoes and other maritime activities.
“We have a lot of digital initiatives. MEMS will help us track vessels, cargoes and activities in our waters in real time. It is also part of our preparation for the Federal Government’s National Single Window project,” she said.
She added that the digital platform would reduce human interface, improve transparency and make regulatory processes more seamless.
“What causes corruption is a lot of physical interface. With digitalisation, people can process applications, make payments and monitor transactions online without unnecessary contact,” Anyasodo said.
She also identified the high cost of maritime infrastructure as a major challenge but stressed that continuous collaboration with stakeholders and government remained critical to addressing policy and operational gaps.
Earlier, Agunloye said the visit formed part of the university’s annual industry study tour designed to expose participants to practical experiences across key sectors of the economy.
“We have visited FAAN, Nigerian Breweries, Chevron and Dangote. Today at NIMASA, we had an unforgettable experience. We learned many things we didn’t know about the agency, and the presentations were exceptional,” he said.
He added that the exposure would enable participants to contribute more effectively to Nigeria’s logistics industry.
“The impact is that participants will return to their various organisations with practical knowledge that will improve logistics operations. We also believe Artificial Intelligence and technology will play a significant role in transforming Nigeria’s logistics sector,” Agunloye said.
