NIMASA commissions Africa’s first maritime emissions model at COP30

The country has strengthened its push for maritime decarbonisation as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) unveiled Africa’s first digital model for continuous emissions monitoring at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil.

The new framework, known as the Nigerian Maritime Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (NIMACEMS), is designed as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to help African countries track shipping emissions in real time and comply with emerging global energy-transition rules driving investment decisions across major shipping corridors.

NIMASA said the system positions Nigeria to meet new International Maritime Organisation (IMO) requirements, especially as global demand grows for verified emissions data across ports, shipping lines, and cargo owners.

Speaking at a side event hosted by the Agency, Director of Marine Environment Management, Dr. Oma Ofodile, who represented the Director-General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, said the model reflects years of coordinated work to place the country at the forefront of low-carbon maritime operations.

“NIMASA has been at the forefront of coordinated efforts in advancing the IMO energy transition strategies through digital innovation that is expected to transform ambition into measurable progress,” Mobereola said.

He recalled that at COP28, Nigeria launched the call for an African Coalition on IMO greenhouse-gas reductions, while at COP29, the Agency presented the country’s first verifiable maritime emissions inventory produced with the University College London (UCL) research group.

He noted that this year’s COP30 marks the formal introduction of the continuous monitoring model, developed in collaboration with UCL researchers. “The Agency has been consistent in its efforts for energy transition in the maritime industry in Nigeria, which has led to this pioneer initiative,” he added.

The representative of the IMO Secretary-General, Roel Hoeders, commended Nigeria for driving the continental conversation on shipping decarbonisation.

He said, “The Agency has put together a novel session to deepen discussion and provide a strategic outlook on how Africa can navigate the challenges of shipping energy transition.”

The session featured experts from the IMO, UCL, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Lagos State’s Ministries of Planning and Budget, the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

Industry observers note that digital emissions tracking is fast becoming a determinant of port competitiveness, vessel compliance, and eligibility for green shipping investments. Nigeria’s early adoption, they say, could strengthen its position as a leading maritime hub in West and Central Africa.

A major expectation at COP30 is agreement on indicators for measuring progress under the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) in the Paris Agreement, a process that may shape how developing countries, including maritime economies, track climate performance in the years ahead.

NIMASA said it will continue to work with regional administrations and global partners to align Africa’s maritime sector with the fast-evolving international energy-transition landscape.

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