Section 18: Qualifications for owning Nigerian Ships

(1)
Subject to the provisions of subsection (2) of this section and of any rules made or deemed to have been made hereunder, a ship shall not be registered in Nigeria under this Act unless the ship is owned wholly by persons of the following descriptions (in this Act referred to as "persons qualified to own a registered Nigerian ship")-
(a) Nigerian citizens;
(b)
Bodies corporate and partnerships established under and subject to Nigerian laws, having their principal place of business in Nigeria;
(c)
Such other persons as the Minister may, by regulations prescribe.
(2)
The Minister may make rules with respect to the manner in which Nigerian Government ships, or any class of those ships, may be registered under this Act; and, subject to any modifications which may be made by those rules either generally or in respect of any specified class of ships, this Act shall apply to Nigerian Government ships which are registered in accordance with the rules as if they were ships registered in the manner provided.
(3)
Where the Minister has reason to believe that there is some doubt as to the title of any ship registered in Nigeria under this Act to be so registered, the Minister may direct the Registrar at the port of registry of the ship to require that evidence be given to his satisfaction that the ship is entitled to be so registered.
(4)
If, within such time as may be determined by the Minister, not being less than thirty days, evidence to the satisfaction of the Registrar of the title of the ship to be registered is not given, the ship shall be liable to forfeiture.