Nigeria’s House of Representatives is seeking restrictions on the use of foreign vessels in domestic coastal and inland commercial activities in order to promote indigenous shipping operations in Nigeria’s waterways.
The lawmakers through a bill that has scaled second reading also seek the establishment of cabotage vessel financing fund by amending the coastal and inland shipping cabotage act.
There has been dismal participation of Nigerians in the domestic shipping industry despite a booming offshore oil and gas industry dependent on the coastal water and growing inland waterways traffic.
The lawmakers said a successful cabotage regime will be of commercial benefits to Nigerians as well as job creation.
Meanwhile, the House has asked the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, and Ministry of Agriculture to put measures in place to curb illegal fishing activities on Nigeria’s waters.
The House also passed the second reading of two bills seeking the establishment of the Federal College of Agriculture in Affa, Enugu State, and Federal College of Education in Bende, Abia State.
