Comrade Ifeanyi Abel Chukwu (Admin/Asst. Secretary, Merchant Navy)
In my sincere opinion, Nigeria should stop paying War Risk Insurance Premium, due to improved maritime security following the Deep Blue Sea Project launched by the previous administration. I believe the premium payment is no longer necessary, given the significant reduction in piracy attacks in Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea. The Deep Blue project has achieved relative peace and security in Nigerian waters. Continuing to pay is unnecessary, as the primary reason for the payment (piracy attacks) has decreased.
Otunba Sola Olatunji (Shipowner)
In the last two or more years now, there hasn’t been any report of incidence of piracy. We have always known that classifying West Africa-bound cargo as a war risk zone like Somalia is not justifiable. We vehemently condemn it and insist that war risk insurance shouldn’t be applicable to West Africa/Nigeria.
Mr Rowaye Jubril (General Secretary, NISA)
It is my belief that Nigeria should have been removed from War Risk premium because of the downward trend in cases of piracy and attacks on ships in Nigeria and the entire Gulf of Guinea region. It would be very necessary that Nigeria is relieved of these insurance payments to reduce the cost of cargo shipment generally.
Engr. Wale George (Vice President, Nigerian Merchant Navy)
No. They should not be paying because, for the past five years, our territorial waters had not been experiencing any form of attack. Vessels had been sailing in and out of Nigerian waters without security challenges. Also, the demand for security boat escort had reduced to the barest minimum. So, in my opinion, we do not need to continue paying for War Risk Insurance.
Engr. Matthew Alalade (Former President, Merchant Navy)
I think you cannot erase this issue just immediately. The international community doesn’t have full confidence in the government. I think that’s why they keep on persisting in applying these measures. Our security situation is not encouraging. So, they may not lift the insurance payment. So, if they want to have public/ international confidence there has to be a reduction in kidnapping and piracy on land, then I think the United Nations will lift the premium payment. when the international ships are ashore in Nigeria, the crew members cannot go outside and have some relaxation because they are afraid of being kidnapped all the time because that is the news here. So, that one sends a very wrong signal to the international community.
Gbolahan Adu (NISA Publicity Secretary)
Well, Nigeria cannot stop until the percentage of piracy has reduced to digits. This is because the War Risk Insurance is to protect the interests of the stakeholder they are addressing. If anything happens to their ship or there is any attack, their investment is covered. But if it’s not done, that means you are exposing their investment to risks and threats. But when the piracy percentage rate has reduced from double digits to a single digit like 5 percent, then we can now push for that. There are other factors that are considered internationally because Nigeria can be removed from the red list. So it’s actually to protect the interest of the investment of the ship owners.
Officer Utibe-Abasi Isaac (Maritime Graduate)
It’s not in the place of Nigeria to stop paying. It is in the place for Nigeria to remove the name of the country, from the red zone. Because we are still tagged red zone under IMO. And any country that is tagged the red zone, the insurance brokers or companies will keep rejecting the offer to bring vessels to your waters without paying the War Risk Insurance premium. So it’s for Nigeria through the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy to try and remove our name from that red zone. The world should not tag Nigeria a red zone, because we are not fighting war. You cannot totally eradicate crime. But our aim should be to reduce it to the barest minimum. Considering the current data, there is a reduction in piracy and maritime crime on our territorial waters and coastal waters. If you can provide enough statistics and evidence to prove that Nigeria is a safe zone for ships to come in, why not? They will remove us from that list.
