Submarine Cables: NIMASA, NCC Agree on Regulation

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Dr. Bashir Jamoh DG NIMASA and Prof. Umar Danbatta NCC

The days of indiscriminate laying of underwater cables in Nigeria may soon be over. That is because the government, through an inter-agency collaboration, has started to explore means of regulating the laying of the cables by the relevant operators.
To this end, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA and the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, with due consultation with the Ministry of Justice, has agreed to develop a framework for operational guidelines for submarine cable and pipeline operators in the country.
A statement by Osagie Edwards, assistant director, public relations, NIMASA said Dr. Bashir Jamoh, director general of NIMASA assured that his agency was committed to ease of doing business within the framework of international convention. According to NIMASA DG, now that the country has become a destination for global communication, it was imperative for the authorities to prevent unregulated underwater cable laying. He said this would go a long way to also protect ocean going vessels in Nigeria’s territorial water. Hear him: “Our focus is to ensure safety of navigation of shipping in Nigerian waters…” He also said that this will be done in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, UNCLOS.
Professor Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman/chief executive officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC described the collaboration as a win-win situation for all. Danbatta was represented at the occasion, which also has representatives of the relevant government ministries in attendance, by Efosa Idehen, director, Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement at the NCC.