Meet the Voltrons of Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Space

Say it’s true that if you can make it in New York you can make it anywhere then, Nigeria is the place you go to test those dreams before you try breaking into the global market. Running a business in Nigeria is fashioned by a mix of average challenges and the special Nigerian mix; inconsistent power supply, inadequately trained workforce, unpredictable dollar rate and all the portholes that pilfer profit. This cuts across all industries and reduces productivity.

Yet, from 6am every day, queues of cars and kegs begin to form outside petrol stations and millions of litres of fuels daily. Maybe the maritime industry has a protective shield against such problems? Wrong. The maritime industry functions in spite of its challenges. This is due to the collective work of NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, NPA and DPR.

These agencies are the backbone that keeps the petroleum scarcity of Q1 and Q2 of 2016 from being our daily reality. If there is a hint of looming fuel scarcity these organisations work round the clock to abate the threat and keep you smiling and driving. Here are a few of what they do:

• NIMASA, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, is responsible for regulations related to Nigerian shipping, maritime labour and coastal waters. They administer and regulate shipping licences as well as certification of seafarers
• NPA, Nigerian Port Authority, governs and operates the ports in Nigeria. They are responsible for the daily monitoring of operations. They enact, monitor and enforce port regulations and byelaws.
• DPR, Department of Petroleum Resource, ensures compliance to petroleum laws, regulations and guidelines in the oil and gas industry. They monitor operations at all locations where crude oil is stored and supervise all petroleum industries operation carried out under licences and leases in the country
• The Nigerian Navy is tasked with enforcing safety in Nigerian waters. Naval operations include terminating criminal activities in Nigerian maritime environment, surveillance and destruction of illegal refinery sites, capturing of pirate vessels, protecting pipelines and capturing vandals.

To function legally in Nigeria, licences are required from all these agencies. With processing of documents just some working days or weeks, procuring the necessary licences can be quite a hassle for some people.

At Dregwaters, we work efficiently to obtain the licenses you require in less than half the time it will take you. We also provide excellent maritime logistics and services as recruitment of labour and purchase of ships and equipment. We have partnerships with both local and international clients who can attest to quality service and reliability. For the perfect partnership for this next phase in your business, Contact us today.