Transport

Mitsubishi Motors Corp expects to open an assembly plant in Nigeria in the next year, joining the growing list of carmakers setting up local assembly plants in the west African nation, the Japanese group's regional head told Reuters.

"It's still in negotiation - you can say in the third round out of 10," Anand Singh, the regional head in west Africa, said. "We have identified the land. Now we are waiting for some clearances from customs, finance ministry ... so that's the status."

Analysts say the auto market in Africa's biggest economy has huge potential.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Maritime, Fiara Yerima, on Tuesday in Lagos said the police and maritime stakeholders were collaborating to check waterways crimes in Nigeria.

Yerima said the issue had gone beyond the security agencies tackling it alone.

He added that all who have business to do with water must be part of the battle by providing useful information.

“We are strategising with major stakeholders in maritime industry to check waterways criminals.

A marine engineer and ship surveyor, Capt. Peter Onwordi, has blamed insecurity on waterways for low shipping operations and commercial fishing in Nigeria.

Onwordi said, “Western ports services are reluctant going to the Eastern ports because of security reasons.

“And this security factor could be taken care of by the Nigerian Navy, not NIMASA. The responsibility of maritime security is domiciled with the Nigerian Navy.

“But the platforms must be there first of all; the platform to patrol the water front, the sea lane of communication.

President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Abuja approved the continuation of efforts by the National Boundary Commission to achieve a significant expansion of Nigeria's maritime boundaries.

President Buhari gave the approval after being briefed by the Director-General of the Commission, Dr. M.B. Ahmad on the status of preparations for a submission by Nigeria to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS).