In a bid to enhance service delivery in the country’s maritime space, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) prioritizes the welfare and safety of seafarers, just as the Ministry of Marime and Blue Economy pledges to establish a national shipping carrier to create more jobs for seafarers
By Edu Abade
In its determination to achieve best international practices in the nation’s maritime domain, management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has acceded to the views of industry experts on the need to prioritize the welfare and safety of seafarers who form a critical segment of maritime trade.
This was disclosed on the sidelines of this year’s Day of The Seafarer, which was celebrated on Thursday, June 25, 2026 at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos in a well-attended event by senior officers of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, NIMASA, seafarers and sundry industry stakeholders.
Speaking at the ceremony with the theme: Carrying World Trade, Carrying the Risk, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, expressed solidarity with the global maritime community while paying tributes to what he described as “an extraordinary cadre of professionals whose dedication, courage and resilience who form the bedrock of international trade and global prosperity.”
Mobereola said, “This annual observance provides an important opportunity to recognize and appreciate the invaluable contributions of seafarers whose unwavering commitment not only sustains economies but also strengthens the bonds that unite people across continents.
“The theme for this year’s celebration, “Carrying World Trade, Carrying the Risk,” is both timely and profoundly significant. It aptly underscores the indispensable role seafarers play in sustaining international trade, while drawing attention to the considerable risks and challenges they encounter in the discharge of their duties.”
“Today, over 80 percent of global trade by volume and over 70 percent by value is transported by sea, while the global merchant fleet is operated by an estimated two million seafarers who work tirelessly to keep international supply chains functioning efficiently.”
Speaking further, he stated that beyond transporting cargo, seafarers navigate unpredictable weather conditions, demanding working conditions, evolving security threats and increasing geopolitical realities.
“They endure prolonged separation from their families and loved ones, while also coping with the physical and psychological demands inherent in life at sea. Yet they continue to demonstrate exceptional resilience, professionalism and unwavering commitment.
“At NIMASA, the welfare, safety, security, and professional advancement of seafarers remain central to our maritime governance agenda. We recognize that protecting and empowering seafarers is not merely a regulatory obligation but a moral imperative and a strategic necessity for sustaining the growth and resilience of the maritime industry,” he stated.
He explained that in line with the Agency’s commitment, it has continued to champion strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing the global competitiveness of Nigerian seafarers through: Human capacity development; investments in training, certification and provision for sea time training through the NSDP, where over 2,459 cadets were trained and are still under-going training in various maritime institutions around the world.
Other interventions on the part of NIMASA, he pointed out, include enforcing regulatory compliance and promotion of decent working conditions in line with the provisions of the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC 2006).
“Importantly, the National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC) has successfully incorporated the International Transport Workers’ Federation and International Labour Organization (ITF/ILO) International Wage Scale in the Conditions of service of the Nigerian Seafarers raising their earnings by over 150 percent.
“As we commemorate this important occasion, we must also recognize that the risks borne by seafarers require a collective and sustained response. Governments, maritime administrations, shipowners, employers, training institutions, labour unions, and industry stakeholders must continue to collaborate in building a maritime ecosystem that prioritizes safety, dignity, inclusion, wellbeing and professional excellence,” he added.
To also celebrate the seafarers, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, revealed that the Federal Government is finalizing plans to establish a national shipping carrier through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement to create employment opportunities, expand sea time training and strengthen Nigeria’s participation in international maritime trade.
Oyetola, who was represented at the event by the Director of Maritime Services, Mr. Musa Markoji, said the initiative forms part of broader efforts to deepen indigenous participation in shipping and enhance the welfare of Nigerian seafarers.
On his part, President General of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Francis Bunu Abi, stated that this year’s Day of Seafarers reminds Seafarers that Mariners must not be victims or pawns of geographical conflict.
He said the theme for 2026, “Carrying World Trade. Carrying The Risks” identifies with the heightened geopolitical tensions, including the evolving situation in the Strait of Hormuz, the Black Sea and, the Sea of Asov and the Red Sea region, which have caused great tension and increasing complexity.
“Therefore, there’s no gainsaying that each year of the Seafarers Day, provides an opportunity to recognize the essential roles of Seafarers in global trade and the risks there in, which Seafarers bear sustaining it.
“It’s therefore very necessary to put into serious consideration the plight and challenges Seafarers face navigating through regions affected by conflict and insecurity. This includes the risks they take as well as the resilience they showcase in moving world trade under difficult situations.
“In view of these circumstances, which Seafarers face in the course of their job on the sea, the theme of this year 2026 serves as a reminder that Seafarers must not become collateral victims of geopolitical conflicts.
Bunu, commended the Nigerian Seafarers and across the globe for their resilience, discipline, commitment and loyalty in the face of hardship and uncertainty that has engulfed international seas across the globe.
The labour icon expressed his worries over the state of the Maritime Academy in Oron, where graduates are turned out yearly without adequate certifications to compete with their counterparts across the West Africa sub-eegion and beyond, hence, getting employment becomes cumbersome; hence, very many of them are roaming all over the place without job. A situation which calls for a very serious concern.
Meanwhile, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Seamate Maritime Integrated Services Limited, Captain Ladi Olubowale, has cautioned that Nigeria’s quest to emerge as a dominant maritime nation in Africa may remain elusive unless the Federal Government prioritizes the development, welfare and employment of seafarers.
Olubowale, a former President of the Africa Shipowners Association (ASA) Nigeria, who advocated a coordinated national strategy to strengthen the country’s maritime workforce, said Nigeria’s maritime future, including its shipping industry, port system, offshore sector, coastal trade, marine services and Blue Economy, rested on the strength of its maritime workforce.
He maintained that countries that have emerged as global maritime leaders achieved such status through consistent investments in maritime professionals rather than infrastructure alone.
“Throughout history, the world’s leading maritime nations have shared a common characteristic: they invested deliberately and consistently in maritime human capital.
“The maritime success of countries such as Norway, Singapore, Greece, Denmark, Japan, South Korea, and the Netherlands was not built solely on infrastructure, ports, ships, or regulations. It was built on the strength of their maritime professionals,” he said.
He noted that for Nigeria to remain competitive in global maritime business, maritime education, training and capacity development must become national priorities that must not be ignored or neglected.
“No maritime nation has ever achieved maritime greatness without investing in its seafarers. The future of Nigeria’s Blue Economy will not be determined solely by the ships we acquire, the ports we modernize, or the policies we formulate, but by the people we train, protect, empower, and elevate to leadership within the maritime sector,” he said.
The maritime expert also expressed concern over the persistent shortage of sea-time training opportunities for Nigerian cadets, describing it as one of the major obstacles to the development of indigenous maritime manpower.
He argued that the challenge requires a coordinated response involving government agencies, regulators, shipowners, offshore operators, maritime training institutions and private sector stakeholders, adding, “The future competitiveness of Nigerian seafarers depends not only on certification but also on meaningful exposure to modern vessel operations and international best practices.”
Olubowale advocated the establishment of a comprehensive National Seafarers Development Strategy that would integrate maritime education, sea-time opportunities, certification pathways, welfare standards, employment generation and leadership development into a single national framework.
