Ship Registration and Certification (Nigeria): The Complete 2025 Guide to Requirements, Steps, Costs, Forms, and Renewals

If you operate, acquire, or finance vessels that will trade in Nigerian waters or fly the Nigerian flag, ship registration and certification is not optional, it is the legal bedrock of ownership, safety, and flag-state control. Beyond conferring nationality, registration gives you access to essential regulatory services (surveys, mortgages, changes of ownership, name approvals) and unlocks cabotage participation where eligible. This guide consolidates everything you need to know end-to-end—only from NIMASA’s official sources, so you can navigate the registry confidently and compliantly from first application to renewals.

Overview: What “Ship Registration and Certification” Covers at NIMASA

• Who the MDA is: The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is Nigeria’s maritime administration and the statutory authority for ship registration and certification under the Nigerian flag. Its Nigerian Ship Registration Office (NSRO) in Apapa, Lagos, is the operational hub.

• What you can do at the Registry: Flag registration (including provisional), changes of ownership, name approval, mortgage registration/consent to mortgage or sale, cabotage-related registrations, and renewals of certificates.

• Validity of the Certificate of Registry: The Nigerian Certificate of Registry is valid for five (5) years, after which renewal is required with supporting documents.

• New Certificates: NIMASA has introduced updated Certificates of Ship Registration and phased out older formats, part of ongoing measures to improve document security and standards.

The Nigerian Ship Registration Office (NSRO): Contact & Where Work Gets Done

Most filings and collections are made through the Nigerian Ship Registration Office at:

Registrar of Ships
Nigerian Ship Registration Office
4, Burma Road, Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria
Email: registrarofships@nimasa.gov.ng

This is also where you submit or pick up certificates, liaise on fee payments, and request checks (for instance, on name availability).

Applicant’s Guide: The 3-Step Flow for Ship Registration

NIMASA’s simplified applicant journey is:

1. Apply to the Director-General/CEO with supporting documents required for your specific request.

2. Liaise with the Nigerian Ship Registry Office to pay the prescribed fees.

3. Pick up your certificate/document from the Registry once processed.

These steps are reiterated in the Ship Registration page and the associated Ship Registration (website) PDF.

Who Can Register a Nigerian Ship (Eligibility)

Per Flag Registration Guidelines on the NIMASA site (reflecting the Merchant Shipping Act, 2007), eligible owners include:

• Nigerian citizens;

• Bodies corporate established under and subject to Nigerian laws with principal place of business in Nigeria;

• Other persons as may be prescribed by regulations of the Minister of Transport.

NIMASA also provides minimum share capital guidance for Nigerian corporate vessel owners: ₦25,000,000.

Name Reservation and Approval

Before you formalise your application, check (and optionally reserve) your vessel’s preferred name at the NSRO. Reservations last 60 days, and names may be refused if they duplicate existing Nigerian-registered names, are deceptively similar, offensive, or against public interest.

Document Checklists (By Transaction Type)

A. Flag Registration (Standard) — Core Requirements

For a standard flag registration, the Approved NSRO Checklist lists (among others):

• Formal application (owner/authorised representative)

• Corporate documents (Certificate of Incorporation; CTC of MemArts, CAC 7 – Particulars of Directors; CAC 2 – Allotment of Shares) or Status Report.

• Current Tax Clearance Certificate and Bank Reference Letter

• Declaration of Ownership (with passport photo)

• Tonnage Certificate, Condition Survey Report

• Photographs (bow and stern) showing name, port of registry, official number and registered tonnage marks

• NIMASA official receipt for registration payment

(Additional specifics apply to new builds—e.g., approved plans/specs.)

B. Provisional Registration

For provisional registration, NIMASA requires, among others:

• Corporate constitutive documents (as above)

• International Tonnage Certificate (where applicable), Class Certificate (conventional vessels)

• Declaration of Ownership, Application for Registration

• Bill of Sale and, for foreign-flagged vessels, Deletion Certificate

• NIMASA receipt for provisional registration payment.

C. Change of Ownership

• Formal application from the new owner (or authorised representative)

• Corporate documents and Tax Clearance

• Completed Declaration of Ownership and Application for Registration

• Approval of ship’s name form

• Bank reference, Bill of Sale, Return of prior Certificate of Registry, Insurance

• Evidence of NIMASA payment for change of ownership

• Class Certificate (where applicable).

D. Mortgage-Related Filings

• Consent to Mortgage: application, board resolution (for corporates), and consent fee receipt.

• Registration of Mortgage: executed deed of mortgage (stamped at FIRS), CAC Certificate of Registration of Mortgage, NIMASA statutory mortgage forms (executed with stamp duty), grant of consent letter, and fee receipt.

E. Change of Vessel Name

• Application by registered owner; board resolution under seal authorising change; completed name-change form; return original Certificate of Registry; affidavit stating reasons; clearance from Maritime Guard Command; and NIMASA receipt for the name-change fee.

F. Renewal of Flag Registration

• Formal application by registered owner/authorised representative

• Return expired Certificate of Registry

• Vessel insurance policy, Class Certificate (where applicable)

• Registration license as shipping company with NIMASA (and relevant Cabotage operator licensing where applicable)

• Renewal condition survey certificate

• NIMASA renewal payment receipt.

The Official Forms You will Use (Downloads)

NIMASA publishes the forms pack publicly. Common ones include:

• Ship Registration Form (core application; it also reiterates required attachments like Bill of Sale/Builder’s Certificate, Class Certificate, CSR, Deletion Certificate, corporate documents, and Tax Clearance)

• Declaration of Ownership – Body Corporate

• Change of Vessel Name

• Vessel Name Approval

• Ship’s Carving and Marking Note

• Mandate Form for Vessel Owners

• Declaration of Transfer

You can download them via the “Ship Registry – Forms” page and the specific Ship Registration Form (PDF).

Costs & Tariffs: What You will Pay (Official Fees)

NIMASA publishes the Ship Registry Unit Tariffs. The table below extracts headline items from the official tariff schedule (all figures in Naira). Always cross-check at the Registry as fees can be updated.

Key Tariffs (Extract)

Source: NIMASA Ship Registration – website PDF (Tariff schedule).

Tip: Where your filing attracts multiple actions (e.g., name approval + registration + mortgage registration), budget for their combined tariff line items. If your vessel is an FPSO/FSO or a rig, note the specific provisional registration tariffs.

Step-By-Step: How to Register a Ship in Nigeria (From First Contact to Collection)

Step 1 — Prepare Your Dossier

• Confirm eligibility (citizen/corporate/persons allowed).

• Reserve or confirm your ship name (valid for 60 days).

• Gather corporate and vessel documentation per the Approved NSRO Checklist and the Ship Registration Form attachment list.

• For new builds, include approved plans/specifications; for foreign-flagged vessels, obtain Deletion Certificate.

Step 2 — Submit a Formal Application

• Address your application to the Director-General/CEO, NIMASA (with all supporting documents).

• You may submit and subsequently liaise with the NSRO (Apapa) for file checks and fee assessment.

Step 3 — Pay Official Tariffs

• Upon assessment, pay the prescribed registry fees for your transaction (registration, provisional, change of ownership, consent, etc.).

• Obtain the NIMASA official receipt.

Step 4 — Surveys, Marking & Carving Note

• Ensure the vessel is properly marked (name, port of registry, official number, registered tonnage) and keep survey/tonnage reports handy.

• Where applicable, use the Ship’s Carving and Marking Note form.

Step 5 — Collect Your Certificate(s)

• Once the Registry finalises processing and records, pick up your Certificate of Registry (or other issued document).

• Remember that the Certificate of Registry is valid for 5 years; set a compliance reminder for timely renewal.

Special Transaction Paths You Should Know

Provisional Registration

Useful for time-sensitive operations while finalising all documents. Requires core corporate and vessel documents, International Tonnage Certificate, Class Certificate (conventional vessels), and proof of fee payment.

Change of Ownership

When a vessel is sold, the new owner applies for change of ownership registration, returning the prior Certificate of Registry and providing Bill of Sale, insurance, and other items listed in the NSRO Checklist. Tariffs differ by tonnage, mirroring the flag registration scale.

Mortgage Registration & Consents

NIMASA handles both consent to mortgage/consent to sell and registration of mortgage (post-consent), referencing your stamped mortgage deed, CAC registration, and NIMASA statutory mortgage forms. Fees apply for consent and registration.

Change of Name

Board resolution, completed form, affidavit with reasons, prior certificate return, Maritime Guard Command clearance, and fee payment are required.

Bareboat Charter Flag Registration / Suspension from Original Registry

For bareboat scenarios, provide bareboat charter party, evidence of suspension from the original registry, Class Certificate (conventional), and the rest of the core file (corporate, tax clearance, bank reference, etc.). Renewals require charter party, insurance, suspension evidence, and survey updates.

Pleasure Craft & Engine-Boat Licensing

NIMASA also lists individual/non-corporate requirements for licensing engine boats (≥200 HP) and registration of pleasure crafts, including personal identification, ownership proof, insurance, tax clearance (where applicable), and relevant forms/fees.

Renewal of Certificate of (Flag) Registration: Timing and Checklist

• Timing: Every 5 years from issuance.

• Core items: Formal application, return expired certificate, insurance, class/annual survey evidence, registration license as shipping company, cabotage credentials (if applicable), renewal condition survey, and proof of fee payment (NIMASA receipt).

Where to Find and Download the Official Forms

Navigate to Ship Registry – Forms for the master list of forms (Ship Registration Form; Declaration of Ownership; Vessel Name Approval; Change of Vessel Name; Ship’s Carving & Marking Note; Mandate Form; Declaration of Transfer). Use the Ship Registration Form PDF for the attachment list that includes Bill of Sale/Builder’s Certificate, Class, CSR, Deletion Certificate, Tax Clearance, MemArts, CAC filings, and ₦25m minimum share capital note for Nigerian corporates.

How to Budget: Putting Fees and Process Together (Worked Example)

1. Name Approval & Reservation:

   • Conduct availability check & reservation at NSRO (valid 60 days).

   • Budget: administrative time + subsequent core tariffs.

2. Flag Registration (e.g., 6,500 GT tanker):

   • Base registration fee: ₦120,000 (201–1,000 tons) + progression for each additional 1,000 tons thereafter at ₦20,000 per 1,000 tons (apply progressively based on registry computation).

   • If provisional first: add Provisional Registration (Other Vessels) ₦100,000.

   • If mortgage financing: add Consent to Mortgage ₦50,000 + Mortgage Registration ₦100,000.

3. Post-Registration Compliance:

   • Maintain class/annual surveys, insurance, and keep track of 5-year renewal.

Note: The above condenses the tariff framework; NSRO computes official fees against your exact tonnage and transaction mix. Always rely on the debit note/assessment and NIMASA receipts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

These FAQs are curated to match what stakeholders commonly ask online (e.g., “people also ask” themes), but answers here are strictly from NIMASA’s website and documents referenced in this guide.

1) How long is the Nigerian Certificate of Registry valid?

Five (5) years from issuance; renewal is required with supporting documents.

2) Can I reserve a vessel name before filing?

Yes. You can check availability and reserve a preferred name for 60 days at the NSRO. Names can be refused if already taken, deceptively similar, offensive, or contrary to public interest.

3) What’s the minimum share capital for a Nigerian company owning a vessel?

₦25,000,000 minimum share capital for vessel owners (companies).

4) Where do I submit applications and collect certificates?

At the Nigerian Ship Registration Office (Apapa, Lagos). Certificates are collected there after you complete payment and processing.

5) What documents are required for standard flag registration?

See the Approved NSRO Checklist: corporate CTCs (MemArts, CAC 2, CAC 7), Tax Clearance, Bank Reference, Declaration of Ownership, Tonnage Certificate, Condition Survey, vessel photos, and NIMASA payment receipt (plus specific items for new builds).

6) What does provisional registration require?

Core corporate and vessel documents, International Tonnage Certificate, Class Certificate (for conventional vessels), Bill of Sale, and for foreign-flagged vessels, Deletion Certificate, with NIMASA receipt for provisional fees.

7) How much are registration fees?

Base flag registration tariffs start at ₦100,000 (15–200 tons) and ₦120,000 (201–1,000 tons), with ₦20,000 per additional 1,000 tons. Other official tariffs include Provisional Registration for FPSO/FSO (₦500,000), Rig (₦200,000), Other vessels (₦100,000), Consent to Mortgage or Sell (₦50,000), and Mortgage Registration (₦100,000).

8) What do I need to renew my Certificate of Registry?

Formal application, return expired certificate, insurance, class/annual survey evidence, registration license (and cabotage operator status if applicable), renewal condition survey, and NIMASA receipt.

9) How do I process a change of ownership?

Apply as new owner, submit required corporate and vessel documents (incl. Bill of Sale, Insurance, return prior certificate), and pay the change of ownership tariff (mirrors base registration tonnage scale).

10) Can I change my vessel’s name after registration?

Yes—submit application + board resolution, affidavit, return old certificate, get Maritime Guard Command clearance, and pay the name-change fee.

Common Misconceptions (Debunked with Official Sources)

Myth 1: “Once registered, my ship’s certificate lasts indefinitely.”
Fact: The certificate is valid for five (5) years and must be renewed with supporting evidence (insurance, class/surveys, etc.).

Myth 2: “I can pick any ship name I like as long as I pay.”
Fact: Name reservations are time-bound and subject to refusal on several grounds (duplication, deceptive similarity, offensiveness, public interest).

Myth 3: “Provisional registration means I can skip documents.”
Fact: Provisional status still requires core documents (e.g., tonnage/class, Bill of Sale, Deletion Certificate where applicable) and official payment; it’s not a shortcut.

Myth 4: “Mortgage paperwork is just bank-to-owner—NIMASA isn’t involved.”
Fact: NIMASA handles consent and registration of mortgages. You must file the executed/stamped deed, CAC mortgage registration, and NIMASA statutory forms, with consent/registration fees.

Myth 5: “Private boats or pleasure craft have no registry requirements.”
Fact: NIMASA provides requirements for pleasure craft registration and licensing for high-horsepower engine boats (≥200 HP), including identification, ownership proof, insurance, and fee payment.

Practical Tips for a Smooth Filing (All From the Official Flow)

1. Start with name reservation to avoid brand conflicts, then build your file around the reserved name.

2. Use NIMASA forms (download the current versions) and attach exactly what the Ship Registration Form and NSRO Checklist ask for (Bills of Sale/CSR/Deletion Certs/CTCs).

3. Keep surveys and class current; many transactions (renewal, cabotage entries) request class/annual survey certificates.

4. Budget correctly using the official tariff schedule; unusual vessel types (FPSO/FSO, rigs) have their own provisional tariffs.

5. Always obtain NIMASA receipts; many checklists explicitly require proof of payment.

Cabotage-Linked Registration Notes (Where Applicable)

NIMASA’s NSRO checklist includes Cabotage registration paths by ownership structure (Wholly Nigerian Owned, Bareboat Chartered, Joint Venture Owned, and Foreign-Owned participating by waiver). Each path lists forms, waiver evidence (where applicable), class/annual survey, insurance, company licensing, and payment evidence. If you intend to trade domestically under the Cabotage regime, map your file to the relevant checklist section.

Renewal & Lifecycle Management Checklist (At a Glance)

• Every 5 years: schedule Certificate of Registry renewal (prepare insurance, class/surveys, licensing).

• When ownership changes: file Change of Ownership (return old certificate, attach Bill of Sale, etc.).

• Funding events: process Consent to Mortgage, then Register Mortgage (with FIRS stamp & CAC mortgage registration).

• Rebranding: pursue Change of Vessel Name (with affidavit, security clearance).

• Operational shifts: consider Provisional Registration if timing is critical while completing documents.
  All steps and lists are from the NSRO checklist and renewal guidance.

Where to Start Today (Links to the Official Materials)

• Ship Registration (Applicant’s Guide + Name Reservation + Tariffs + Contact): use the main Ship Registration page and its supporting PDF.

• Forms: download the Ship Registration Form, Declaration of Ownership, Change of Name, Carving & Marking Note, and more.

• Approved NSRO Checklist: for requirements across Flag Registration, Change of Ownership, Provisional, Mortgage, Name Change, Cabotage, Pleasure Craft, Engine Boats, etc.

• Renewal of Certificate of Registration: validity and renewal requirements.

• New Certificates Announcement: for awareness of updated certificate formats.

Conclusion

Registering and certifying ships in Nigeria is straightforward if you follow NIMASA’s official 3-step pathway, attach the exact NSRO checklist items for your transaction, and pay the correct tariffs. Set early markers for name reservation, survey/class readiness, and 5-year renewal planning; file changes (ownership, mortgages, name) promptly to keep the registry accurate. Every element in this guide is taken directly from NIMASA’s official website so you can proceed with confidence and without guesswork.