South Africa and Nigeria eye IMO Council seat

Vying for a seat in Category C

After failing to regain a seat on the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Council at the end of 2023, Nigeria and South Africa have indicated their intention to stand for election at the end of this year and officials from both countries are already publicly expressing the validity of their inclusion.

Speaking at a session on mitigating Underwater Radiated Noise in Cape Town, Deputy Minister of Transport, Mkhuleko Hlengwa was unapologetic in proposing that South Africa reclaims a seat in Category C of the Council.

“We are committed to working with the IMO and partners and look forward to contributing,” he said adding that the country needed the support of international maritime community to regain its seat.

He told participants that it would be a “travesty of justice” not to include South Africa as the biggest regional player with the resources and the knowledge in the list of Council members.

Late last year, Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, established an Inter-Ministerial Committee to promote the country’s campaign to be elected to Category C.

“The need for Nigeria’s return to Council is imperative given our strategic location and significance as a hub of maritime activities and as a voice for the sub-region on the IMO Council, where crucial decisions regarding international maritime shipping and trade are made,” Mobereola said at the inauguration in November 2024 where he added that an “all-inclusive” campaign should consider both diplomatic and operational strategies.

Nigeria was last elected in 2005.

The inter-ministerial committee for Nigeria’s election to the IMO Executive Council in 2025 includes high-level officials and is tasked with identifying activities and actions that will promote Nigeria’s standing in the IMO community.

Just a week after establishing the new committee, Nigeria deposited three accension documents at the IMO in a bid to demonstrate the country’s commitment to align with international maritime standards.

The instruments handed over to IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez include the instrument of accession to the 2005 Protocol to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf (SUA Protocol 2005), the instrument of accession to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F), and the instrument of accession to the Protocol Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Pollution by Substances Other Than Oil (Intervention Protocol 1973).

South Africa’s Department of Transport has appointed Vusi September as the Alternate Permanent Representative of South Africa to the IMO. September is currently in the United Kingdom as part of the country’s strategy to regain its seat on the Council.  

Six African countries have already submitted their candidature for this year’s election. Current Council members Egypt, Morocco and Kenya are seeking to maintain their seats in Category C, while Liberia aims to remain in Category A.

As it stands, the three existing African members in Category C along with South Africa and Nigeria will be battling it out alongside 19 other candidates for the 20 available seats. There is still time, however, for additional countries to indicate their intention to run for election.

PHOTO: L-R: Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola;  Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON; Secretary General, International Maritime Organisation, IMO, Arsenio Dominguez; Ag. High Commissioner of Nigeria to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Mohammed Maidugu and Director, Maritime Security and Safety, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy during the depositing of the three Instruments of Accession to International Maritime Organization (IMO) Conventions signed by President Bola Tinubu, GCFR at the headquarters of the IMO in London.

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