NSML wants FG to declare Nigeria maritime nation, says seafarers suffering under tax regime

NLNG Ship Management Limited (NSML), a subsidiary of Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited has urged the Federal Government to declare Nigeria a maritime nation and facilitate investment in the sector.

This is just as the company revealed that it is only Nigeria that subjects its seafarers to pay tax globally.

Speaking at a conference organized by the Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN), in Lagos on Wednesday, Managing Director, NSML, Abdulkadir Ahmed, said the company is vigorously implementing the Seafarers Continuous Development Program (SCDP), in conjunction with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to ensure development and continuous supply of certified, competent, and qualified Nigerian seafarers.

According to him, over 107 Nigerians have successfully completed their training under the Maritime Centre of Excellence (MCoE).

Ahmed said the NLNG Bonny terminal has recently been certified by the Port Environmental Review System (PERS), as the only port in Sub-Sahara Africa that complied with the requirements of leading environmental management practices.

He noted that this was made possible because of the proactive nature of the NSML Terminal management team.

He said, “The company has future-proofed the business through the continuous training, upskilling and development of its employees to enhance their capacity and ensure they are not only up to date but also ensure they, and the company, are ready and able to adopt and adapt to the changing technological landscape.”

Fleet Manager, NSML, Yusuf Hambali noted that a declaration of Nigeria as a maritime nation would spur investment in the shipping sector.

He further called for waivers for investors in the sector in order to grow capacity and buoy the nation’s shipping sector.

He bemoaned a situation whereby only Nigerian seafarers pay tax globally saying Nigeria is losing qualified seafarers to foreign nations due to the nation’s tax laws.

He noted that other nations such as India gave seafarers an exception to income tax.

“In India, if you are not in the country for seven months, you won’t pay any tax. But in Nigeria if you are not around for a whole year you are still going to pay tax and you know the taxes are graded depending on your grade.

“If you are a seafarer and you see where you can go and be paid fully without deducting tax, you would like to go there.

“There needs to be an advocacy to let the government know what is obtainable elsewhere. Some international seafarers don’t border for pensions,” he said.

He said that in Nigeria pensions are deducted in dollars but paid back to them in naira.

Yusuf also noted that it is difficult to dry dock in Nigeria because the facilities in the country cannot handle the size of ships the agency has.

“Our ships are 283 meters length and 45meters in width and there is no place in Nigeria now that can accommodate that size of ship. We would have loved to dry dock in Nigeria because It would have been easier for us than to move hundreds of nautical miles away. You know it will also cost some money to do that outside the country,” he said.

Earlier, President, SCAN, Eugene Agha, said the maritime sector holds the key to Nigeria’s economy, hence the need for more enabling legislation to reposition the sector, tackle challenges and pull healthier competition and more gains.

He said, “Today, the dwindling global finances for crude oil has increased focus to gas exploration and freighting, while piracy and other maritime criminalities remain a concern to both present and prospective investors, as well as regulators. The changing trend in the global energy sector demands a corresponding improvement and updating of the knowledge and skills of the media practitioners to continually avail stakeholders the opportunities and risks inherent in the sector,”

The conference sponsored by NLNG and NSML has as its theme: ‘NNLG Vessels: Movement and Challenges.’

Picture caption:

L-R: President, Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN), Eugene Agha; Manager, Maritime Centre of Excellence (MCOE) and Training, NLNG Ship Management Limited (NSML), Dr. Effiong Ekanem Attah; Head of External Relations, NSML, Anne-Marie Palmer Ikuku; Managing Director, NSML, Abdulkabir Ahmed; Fleet Manager, NSML, Captain Ahmed Yusuf Hambali; and Manager, Human Resources, NSML, Henry Agbodjan at a conference organized by SCAN in Lagos on Wednesday.