Benue State University, Makurdi

Advancing Indigenous Ship Building in Nigerian Maritime Industry: Strategies for Bridging the Gap

Ologe, A.*

Abstract

It is the desire of every maritime nation to harness to the fullest the enormous benefits that accrues from the maritime industry. Maritime administration encompasses the regulation of trade to security and safety of lives and properties (investments) in the industry. By the provisions of Nigerian law, ship building is an exclusive reserve for Nigerian nationals. This is in recognition of the importance of this aspect of the maritime industry, especially in terms of accruable economic benefits and employment generation potential to the nation. This article in discussing the concept of ship building and indigenous ship building gap found that Nigerian nationals are confronted with a number of challenges bedeviling the growth of ship building industry in Nigeria, the capital intensity and density contributes to the dearth of indigenous capacity. However, lack of government support is what accounts for the insufficiency in domestic ship building capacity. Contracting therefore can become a strategic tool, in the meantime, to galvanise, bridge and link the gap created. Amongst other things, the article recommended a legislative intervention to regulate the use of special purpose vehicles in the industry to preserve maritime policy expectations and not to be used as conduit to dissipate industry policy aspirations.

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