Adopting the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model is crucial for the infrastructure development of Nigeria’s marine sector, according to Dr. Dayo Mobereola, Director General of the Nigerian marine Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
On Tuesday in Lagos State, the Director General made this statement while welcoming Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, the Director General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), to the Agency.
The Director General underlined the significance of the Commission’s heightened engagement in luring private investors to build infrastructure capacity in Nigeria’s marine industry in a statement issued by Osagie Edward, Head, Public Relations of the Agency.
“We are grateful for the ICRC’s management’s responsiveness. But as you are aware, the marine industry requires a significant amount of money, and government funding alone cannot provide the necessary infrastructure.
“The ICRC must create PPP-based business plans that will appeal to the private sector both domestically and internationally. We will continue to rely on ICRC’s assistance to propel the Agency’s PPP initiatives for effective and efficient service delivery to our stakeholders, thus it is imperative that we employ technology to expedite operations,” he continued.
The importance of the maritime industry to Nigeria’s economy was emphasized by Dr. Ewalefoh, who backed the NIMASA DG’s position. He also mentioned that the PPP model would enable more private sector funding and expertise, which would hasten the expansion and development of the Nigerian maritime industry.
Dr. Ewalefoh stated that the ICRC is ready to work with NIMASA on its projects and make sure they are completed on time.
“There is no time to waste; we must establish an environment that supports activities and provide our nation with the substantial infrastructure funding it needs.” The ICRC chief pointed out that the first is service delivery, not income generation, and that if people receive quality services, they will be happy to pay.
The statement went on to reveal that the PPP model has emerged as the most practical strategy globally for advancing governmental initiatives that foster economic expansion and development.
“As a regulatory agency and Nigeria’s Maritime Administration, NIMASA has consistently embraced collaboration and partnership through the PPP initiative to ensure the growth and development of the maritime sector,” it said.
