The Chairman of the Nigerian Ship Implementation  Committee, Mr. Hassan Bello, has revealed that Nigeria  loses $1.9bn to foreign ship owners annually.
Mr  Bello made the revelation,while on a working visit with his team to the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, ( GMDNNPC),Mallam Mele Kyari at the NNPC,recently.He appealled to the NNPC GMD to encourage the corporation’s subsidiaries to always engage indigenous shipping companies in their businesses, in order to cut loses such as this.
He, also, urged NNPC to grant local shipping companies the right of first refusal in crude oil lifting contracts, saying that it would help grow the economy and sustain their businesses.
He informed that the Committee was set up three years ago by the Federal Ministry of Transportation with the mandate to promote Nigerian ownership of ships and vessels to enable local companies take control of the shipping business which is in line with the economic diversification policy of the Federal Government. Of
However, the  corporation assured them of its readiness to support indigenous fleet owners to enjoy greater patronage and participation in the oil and gas maritime business in the country. Mallam Mele Kyari, gave the assurance while stating that, with the scale of the Corporation’s activities in the maritime sector,it would get more active in the affairs of the Fleet Management Committee with a view to strengthening the synergy between the Corporation and the private sector. He said,“We believe in this process, we will ensure that Nigerian ships enjoy a greater patronage in the business hencefort.