A few months ago, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) handed over the N50 billion (Nigerians Tax Payers money) Modular Floating Dock handed over to a private partnership.

In February, it equally announced plans to move the dock to Continental Shipyard in Apapa, the deployment was only done on paper and lips but not with action.

Since then stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime industry don’t seem to know the whereabouts and management of the Floating Dock.

The most serious concern now is the floating dock is no longer SeSeaworthynd has lost its value

The agency (NIMASA) who hurriedly acquired the floating dock in a bead to emembezzleublic funds without arrangements on how it would be utilized went as far as ending Trillions in covering up their ‘official mistake’.
This was what led to the docility and nativity of its functions.

Rather, they kept wasting federal government funds and enriching the pocket of some cable in the name of ‘official maintenance’ without any accountability and transparency in the total amount spent so far on maintenance.

This delay has fueled skepticism among industry observers, who question NIMASA’s commitment to managing the multimillion-dollar asset effectively.

The acquisition raised so many questions in ch NIMASA tiltote refuses to answer, why some thought it would give a significant boost to Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure, aimed at enhancing the country’s vessel maintenance and repair capabilities.

However, promises of deployment have been repeatedly unfulfilled, leading to accusations of underutilization and mismanagement.
Criticism has been directed at NIMASA’s leadership, particularly under former Director-General, Bashir Jamoh, for perceived lapses in strategic planning and execution.

He suggested a reevaluation of NIMASA’s approach, advocating for dedicated professionals to manage the asset independently of the agency’s leadership.
Former National President of the Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers & Water Transport Senior Staff Association, Engr. Matthew Alalade, voiced concerns about NIMASA’s decision-making process, urging greater consultation with stakeholders and consideration of concessioning the dock to established shipyards.

Amidst these concerns, a staff of NIMASA who pleaded anonymity offered a critical perspective on the situation:
“The challenges we face with the floating dock can largely be attributed to the previous leadership’s reluctance to heed expert advice, which unfortunately has resulted in the asset becoming nearly outdated before being fully operational.”

However, the representative further stated that the new Director-General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, is aware of the issues and committed to resolving them:

“Dr. Mobereola has been thoroughly briefed about the current status and complexities surrounding the floating dock.

He will be actively engaging with technical experts and stakeholders to expedite its deployment and ensure it operates at full capacity as swiftly as possible.” he said.