The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is the top regulatory maritime agency in Nigeria. The agency was created on the 1st August 2006 through a merger of two Nigerian agencies, namely, the National Maritime Authority (NMA) and Joint Maritime Labour Industrial Council(JMLIC) which were both former parastatals of the Federal Ministry of Transport.
Since its creation, NIMASA has been saddled with a lot of responsibilities as the only agency in Nigeria that is committed to global best practices in providing maritime services in Nigeria. The agency is focused on vital areas such as effective Maritime Safety Administration, Maritime Labour Regulation, Marine Pollution Prevention and Control, Search and Rescue, Cabotage enforcement, among several other things. More so, as a top government agency with a duty to serve the country in the best way, NIMASA ensures that the officers recruited to join its scheme are top-notch.
Ranks In NIMASA
As a government establishment, it is worth noting that the ranking of staff in NIMASA is based on the structure in the civil service, however, this also tends to go according to the agency’s organogram.
Find below the ranks in NIMASA arranged in ascending order:
At the bottom of the NIMASA organogram, you will find 3 Executive Directors who oversee the affairs of other staffs mainly those in Grades 6 and 7 ranks, like Senior executive officer, Executive officers, and Administrative officers or assistants.
Here is an outline of the Executive Directors and those they oversee:
Executive Director of Finance and Administration:
- Director of Administration and Human resources.
- Director of Financial Services
- Director of Planning, Research, and Data Management Services
Executive Director of Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services
- Director of Maritime Labour Services
- Director of Cabotage Services
- Head of Nigerian Seafarers Development Program
Executive Director of Operations
- Director of Maritime Safety and Seafarers’ Standard
- Director of Shipping Development
- Director of Marine Environment Management
At the top of the agency’s body, one will find the governing board with the Director-General being the Chairman and other key persons under him.
Director-General
- Legal Adviser
- Head of Procurement
- Director, London Office
- Director, Zonal Coordinator
- Head of Nigerian Ship Registry
- Head of Corporate Communications
- Head of Protocol
- Head of SERVICOM
- Commandant of Maritime Guard Command
- Director of Internal Audit
The Salary Structure Of NIMASA
NIMASA is a federal agency that pays decently and as of now, it is known that all staff of the agency is paid based on the Consolidated Research and Allied Institutes Salary Scale (CONRAISS). This implies that the salary structure in NIMASA is primarily based on grade level and year of experience in the civil service.
Although a complete outline of the salary structure of the agency is yet to be published, below is an estimation of the earning of some NIMASA staff based on their levels:
Entry Level Salary – An entry-level staff usually gets paid up to N80,000 or more which means as entry-level staff, you can get up to N1,000,000 as an annual salary.
Grade Level 7 (step 1) – NIMASA grade 7 level staff are paid an average salary of N90,000 in a month which sums up to over a million naira in a year.
Grade Level 8 (step 1) – NIMASA pays its grade level, 8 staff, up to ₦103,988 monthly summing up to about N1,247,854 in a year.
However, it is important to note that all salaries correspond to each level based on the CONRAISS structure. Additional bonuses and allowances are also given to staff based on their rankings and official duties – details of such benefits are yet to be made public.
How Do You Get Promotion In NIMASA?
Like all civil service establishments, promotions are given based on merit and in most cases, those who are due for such promotions will have to write the promotional examination that is usually conducted on a yearly basis. So if any staff that writes the promotional exam passes, he or she will be promoted to the next level and begin to enjoy the benefits that come with the new level.
However, it is also believed that beyond writing the promotional exams, there are other vital traits a civil servant should possess to make you eligible for promotion which include:
- the appropriate qualification for the post
- good working behavior
- length of service (years of working experience)
What Are The Core Functions Of NIMASA?
The establishment of NIMASA was bored out of a need to manage the Nigerian Maritime sector better and since the agency was formed, it was given the full responsibility to regulate the Nigerian Maritime sector through the relevant instruments which are:
- Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act. 2007
- Merchant Shipping Act. 2007 and,
- Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act. 2003
With the above Acts, the agency has been able to perform its primary duties optimally in the Nigerian Maritime sector and establish smooth relations for the agency with the global world:
- The pursuance of development of shipping and regulatory matters relating to merchant shipping and seafarers.
- Administering and regulating shipping licenses.
- It is responsible for the administration, Regulation, and Certification of Seafarers.
- Establishing Maritime Training and Safety Standards
- Regulating safety of shipping pertaining to the construction of ships and navigation.
- The agency caters to the provision of Maritime Search and Rescue Services
- The agency gives proper directions and ensures that there is compliance with vessels security measures
- The agency is also responsible for air and Coastal Surveillance
- The agency is in charge of controlling and preventing Maritime Pollution
- The development and implementation of policies and programs, which are geared at facilitating the growth of local capacity in ownership, manning, and construction of ships and other maritime infrastructure.
- The agency oversees the administration and implementations of the provision as stated in the Cabotage Act. 2003
- All Port and Flag State duties are performed by NIMASA.
- The agency also ensures maritime security.
- The establishment of the procedure for the implementation of conventions of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), and other international conventions to which the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a party.
- Handles everything pertaining to Maritime Labour, Commercial Shipping, and the implementation of Codes, Resolutions and Circulars which arise from conventions with the IMO or ILO.
