Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act 2007
Labor Rules, Offenses, & Infractions
Does the law/regulation require foreign vessels to employ national labor?
Article 35
The Minister, on the recommendation of the Agency, may grant national carrier status to a shipping company if- (g) one hundred percent of the crew and at least seventy-five percent of the ship- board officers, including the captain and the chief officer and wherever possible chief engineers, are Nigerians.
Vessel Registration & License Management
What qualifications does the law/regulation give for a vessel to qualify as a local vessel?
Article 64
"Nigerian company" is a company incorporated in Nigeria in which Nigerian citizens hold at least 60% of the shares as beneficial owners;
What is the applicable law/regulation for the registration of ships, and does the fisheries legislation have any relevant provisions for registration such as pre-approval?
First Schedule
Section 290 of the Merchant Shipping Act. Cap M11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 is amended by inserting the following new section "290 (IB)": "290 (1 b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section the following ships are entitled to be registered- (a) Nigeria owned ships; (b) small vessels, other than fishing vessels, that are- (i) wholly owned by Nigerian residents and Nigerian citizens (ii) operated solely by Nigerian residents or Nigerian citizens or both such residents and such citizens; and (c) ships on bareboat charter to Nigerian citizens.". 2. The Merchant Shipping (Delegation of Powers) Notice, Merchant Shipping Act, is amended by deleting all references in the Third Column of the Schedule to "Government Inspector of Shipping" and inserting the words "Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency".
Article 35
The Minister, on the recommendation of the Agency, may grant national carrier status to a shipping company if-(f) the company's vessels are registered in the Nigerian Ship Registration Office and the vessels satisfy all conditions stipulated in the Merchant Shipping Act;