IMO Secretary General, Kitack Lim Arrives Nigeria For NIMS
By Okezie Nnadi
The Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization, His Excellency Kitack Lim, is scheduled to arrive Nigeria this week, in a bid to attend the Nigeria International Maritime Summit (NIMS) 2022, running between November 20th and 22nd.
The Maritime Connect gathered that the visit and participation in addition is to add colours to NIMS which would also enable the Secretary-General to actively participate in an event where regional policies and operational perspectives to Decarbonization and Green House Gas Emissions in shipping will be the focus.
Secretary General, International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Mr Kitack Lim
The organized maritime private sector under the auspices of Nigeria International Maritime Summit, and the Federal Ministry of Transport and its Agencies are hosting the event.
Honourable Minister of Transport Engr. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo
says the Federal Government is committed to ensure that Nigeria becomes a major destination for global maritime players.
Honourable Minister of State for Transport, Prince Ademola A. Adegoroye, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh OFR, said the visit by Kitack Lim, which is the first by an IMO Secretary-General to Nigeria in over fifteen years, is a testament to the renewed confidence of the international maritime community in Nigeria.
“We are glad that after fifteen years, an IMO Secretary-General will be visiting Nigeria. Our desire is to continue in this stead until we attain a status of not just the hub of maritime activities in the region, but a major player in the global scene”. He said.
Nigeria International Maritime Summit (NIMS), CEO Dr Emeka Akabogu noted that the summit will provide a platform for practical issues in operations; and regulations impacting Decarbonization in Shipping in the West and Central Africa region would be highlighted as a catalyst for igniting the Blue economy in the said region.
Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh OFR,
NLNG Ship Management Limited (NSML) is among the industry stakeholders that will partner the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA in the Deep Blue Project operational engagement session scheduled as part of the activities of the IMO Secretary General’s visit to Nigeria.
Kitack Lim is also expected to have a firsthand experience of some operational activities of NIMASA, which is the focal Agency of Nigeria liaising with the IMO under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Transport.
It would be recalled that the NIMS is a brainchild of Barrister Emeka Akabogu, Barrister Mfon Usoro and Nigeria’s foremost shipping mogul, Engr. Greg Utomwen Ogbeifun. 
