Elegbede Abiodun
Says Nigeria has to transition to digital fully to compete globally.
The newly appointed Registrar of Ships, Adenike Iyelolu, has pledged to transform Nigeria’s Ship Registration Office into a respected and competitive flag registry that will attract both indigenous and foreign shipowners.
Speaking at a breakfast meeting with shipowners, boat operators and other maritime stakeholders in Lagos, Iyelolu said the current management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is committed to repositioning the Nigerian Ship Registry as a modern, technology-driven and globally accessible platform.
She stressed that to compete effectively with established international registries, Nigeria must decisively transition to a fully digital, efficient and transparent system.
According to her, the core of the transformation agenda is the full automation of the Nigerian Ship Registry, noting that manual and semi-manual processes can no longer meet the agency’s long-term strategic objectives.
“To compete effectively with established international registries, we must transition decisively into a fully digital, efficient, transparent and globally accessible registry system. The proposed automation will affect every aspect of the registration lifecycle from application to issuance of certificates, renewal and data management,” she said.
Iyelolu disclosed that the project will involve the development and deployment of a secure, integrated, web-based ship registry platform. The platform, she explained, will enable shipowners, operators and their representatives to initiate and track registration processes remotely from anywhere in the world.
Reflecting on the past, the Registrar noted that the Nigerian Ship Registry had largely operated manual processes, which were increasingly inadequate in a modern maritime environment driven by speed, digital connectivity and stiff international competition among flag states.
She explained that under the old system, applications were submitted in hard copy, files were processed physically across multiple desks and records were stored in paper archives. These processes, she said, led to delays in file movement, manual verification challenges, fragmented information systems and difficulties in tracking application status and retrieving records.
While acknowledging the vital role the registry has played in supporting indigenous shipping, enforcing maritime safety standards and ensuring compliance with international conventions and national laws, Iyelolu admitted that these legacy systems affected the registry’s competitiveness in the global maritime market.
Also speaking at the event, the director general of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, described Iyelolu’s appointment as a deliberate and strategic move to inject new energy, legal expertise and innovative ideas into the ship registry unit of the agency.
Represented by his special adviser (Technical), Ahmed Shitten, Mobereola expressed confidence that the reforms would reposition Nigeria’s flag to compete favourably not only in Africa but globally.
“It is no gainsaying that successive leaderships of NIMASA, with the support of our supervising Ministry, have worked consistently towards building a reputable flag for Nigeria. However, the journey to a registry that is the envy of the world is continuous,” he said.
He emphasised that the Nigerian flag remains a symbol of national pride on the high seas and must represent quality, safety and compliance at all times.
Mobereola also underscored the critical role of shipowners and operators in strengthening the Nigerian flag, noting that the registry exists to serve stakeholders and protect the integrity of the brand they carry.
He commended the new Registrar’s decision to begin her tenure with stakeholder engagement, describing it as a demonstration of her commitment to an inclusive and participatory approach to reform.
