Special tax regime under way to grow maritime sector - Govt
Houston, Texas -- A special tax regime is under consideration to grow capacity in the Nigerian maritime sector, the Federal Government has said.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Alhaji Sabiu Zakari, disclosed this while addressing journalists at a technical workshop on deep sea exploration on the sidelines of last week's Offshore Technology Conference, OTC, in Houston, Texas, United States.
Zakari, who assured the international oil and gas community that the nation's maritime sector was safe for investment, said that Nigeria was aware of the drift towards deep sea exploration and that policies to enhance effective maritime transport were being considered by the government.
According to Zakari, the report by the International Maritime Bureau that piracy had declined in Nigerian waters in the first quarter of 2019 was an attestation that efforts of the government in providing safety and security in the maritime sector were yielding fruits.
“Nigerian waters are safe NIMASA (Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency) deep blue project in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy, and all other security agencies in Nigeria is already in motion and will use the latest technology to track all vessels in Nigerian waters and reduce criminality to the barest minimum.
"Foreigners with genuine business interests are welcome to invest in Nigeria. So many have come and are enjoying the benefits of their investment.” he said.
On his part, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, said the agency had commenced regulatory reforms to ensure a business-friendly maritime environment and spur economic growth hinged on attracting both foreign and indigenous investors.