The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, has approved the appointment of Mrs Adenike Adeyele Iyelolu as the Registrar of Ships for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Her appointment, which is for a four-year tenure, follows the recommendation of the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr Dayo Mobereola.
In line with the NIMASA Act 2007, the Registrar of Ships will report directly to the Director General for the effective administration of the Nigerian Ship Registry. The Act provides that “the Registrar of Ships shall, with the approval of the Minister, be appointed by the Director General from among the staff of the Agency.”
Mrs Iyelolu, who is currently a Deputy Director in the employ of NIMASA, is an accomplished legal and maritime governance professional with over twenty-five (25) years of post-call experience spanning maritime and legal practice, arbitration, procurement, contract administration, corporate governance, and institutional leadership amongst others.
Her appointment comes following the retirement of the former Registrar of Ships, Mr Tajudeen Giwa, after years of commendable service.
As the Registrar of Ships, she is responsible for managing the country’s ship registry and ensuring vessels meet national and international standards. The registrar oversees the registration of ships, verifies that all necessary documents such as ownership records, safety certifications, and tonnage details are in order, and issues certificates that allow vessels to fly the national flag. Her role also includes maintaining accurate records of ship ownership, documenting transfers, mortgages, and legal interests, and providing certified extracts for use in legal or financial transactions.
In her role, Mrs Iyelolu will enforce compliance with maritime laws, ensures vessels are seaworthy, and collaborate with maritime security agencies to maintain accurate identity records that help prevent illegal activities. She will also be responsible for deregistering ships when they are sold, scrapped, or lost, making key information publicly accessible for transparency, and administer fees related to registration and record-keeping.