What has now become an annual ritual of celebrating the world’s seafarers actually started in 2010. It was in that year that the Diplomatic Conference which met in Manila, Philippines to adopt milestone revisions to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW Convention) and its associated Code, agreed that the unique contribution made by seafarers from all over the world to international seaborne trade, the world economy and civil society as a whole, should be marked annually with a ‘Day of the Seafarer’.
The date chosen was June 25 of every year, which is the day on which the amendments were formally adopted. And since then, every year, stakeholders gather to celebrate the huge contributions and sacrifices to international commerce.
As the global maritime community commemorates the Day of the Seafarer 2025, industry leaders worldwide are once raising urgent concerns over the rising cases of unfair criminalisation, abandonment, lack of judicial expertise and systemic neglect of seafarers onboard ships and within port jurisdictions.
Back home in Nigeria, the above may not be the problems of Nigerian seafarers. The problems of Nigerian seafarers is not about abandonment, criminalization, and certainly not about neglect on board ships.
But, as she does every year, Nigerian stakeholders also joined in the 2025 celebrations; they gathered week gathered in Port Harcourt, Rivers state to celebrate, even as the challenges persist.
It is a fact that, Nigerian seafarers face a myriad of challenges, including unemployment, wage disparities, certification issues, and embracing illegal activities such as illegal bunkering, sea robbery.
Addressing these problems requires a comprehensive approach involving government intervention, policy reforms, industry collaboration, and international cooperation.
Unemployment is one of the most pressing issues faced by Nigerian seafarers. Despite the significant number of maritime training institutions in Nigeria, many graduates find it difficult to secure basic employment.
The reasons for this are multifaceted: The Nigerian maritime industry does not have enough vessels and top-rate shipping companies to absorb the growing number of trained seafarers. The few indigenous shipping companies prefer to employ foreign seafarers due to perceived higher competency levels and reliability.
The economic challenges facing Nigeria, which include fluctuating crude oil prices and volatile exchange rate, have adversely affected the maritime sector, leading to reduced investments and dwindling job opportunities.
There is a significant gap between the training provided by maritime institutions and the practical skills required by the industry. This mismatch results in Nigerian seafarers being less competitive compared to their foreign counterparts.
Nigerian seafarers often face wage disparities when compared to their foreign counterparts. Several factors contribute to this issue. Some foreign shipping companies and even local companies exploit Nigerian seafarers by paying them significantly lower wages than they pay to foreign seafarers for the same job roles.
The maritime labour unions in Nigeria seems not to be as powerful or influential as they used to be or as those in other countries. This weak representation results in poor negotiation power for better wages and working conditions for Nigerian seafarers.
The general economic situation in Nigeria, including high unemployment rate and inflation, makes Nigerian seafarers more willing to accept lower wages, perpetuating the cycle of wage disparity.
Certification is another major hurdle for Nigerian seafarers. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) sets stringent standards for seafarer certification, and Nigerian seafarers often struggle to meet these requirements, due to inadequate training facilities. Many maritime training institutions in Nigeria lack the necessary infrastructure and equipment to provide training that meets international standards.
The process of obtaining and renewing certifications is often hampered by bureaucratic red tape and corruption, making it difficult for seafarers to maintain the required certifications.
Nigerian certificates are often not recognized internationally due to the perceived quality of training and adherence to international standards. This limits employment opportunities abroad. The certificates which are limited, makes opportunities opened to their holders very limited.
It is a shame that Nigeria can not issue Class 1 and Class 2 Certificates, limiting her seafarers to coastal voyages only.
Without Class 1 and Class 2 Certificates, how does a Nigerian seafarer grow to become Chief Engineers, Chief Mates, and Captains aboard vessel? Few who can afford it often have to travel abroad to obtain these certifications, at high personal costs.
Lack of employment opportunities and the associated economic hardships have driven many Nigerian seafarers to engage in illegal activities such as bunkering, piracy, and theft.
These activities are not only dangerous, but also tarnish the reputation of Nigerian seafarers and the maritime industry as a whole. Unemployed or poorly remunerated seafarers often engage in the illegal siphoning and sale of petroleum products from vessels, a lucrative but highly risky endeavor that has significant legal and environmental consequences.
A lot of people have blamed the current travails of the Nigerian seafarer on government and by extension, on NIMASA, which is the implementing agency for maritime labour.
Without mincing words, NIMASA has not done enough to boost the marketability of seafarers, this it would have done by ensuring that the Maritime Academy of Nigeria in Oron, Akwa Ibom state is well-funded and its certificates competitive and not limited.
But, rather than do this, it is funding some maritime institutes in universities and also sending young Nigerians to foreign maritime academies for training in nautical sciences and marine engineering, under the National Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP). A robust programme of sea time for graduating seafarers would have helped too.
The Nigerian seafarer is perhaps the most disadvantaged in Africa. While Nigeria prides itself as a maritime nation, it has no ships, except a handful of service and offshore crafts and old tankers.
Addressing the problems faced by Nigerian seafarers requires a multi-faceted approach. The Nigerian government must implement policies that promote the growth of the maritime industry and create more job opportunities for seafarers.
This includes investing in maritime infrastructure, providing incentives for local shipping companies to hire Nigerian seafarers, and strengthening regulatory frameworks to ensure fair wages and working conditions. Maritime training institutions must be upgraded to meet international standards, with a focus on practical skills and competencies.
It is a shame that Nigeria no longer parades world-class seafarers; she no longer owns high tonnage ships. But even if we no longer own ships, the abundance of budding and qualified seafarers should propel government to guarantee secured employment for them. This, in our opinion should be the essence of the ‘seafarers’ day’ in Nigeria.
It is painful seeing trained seafarers wait endlessly for Certificates that will enable them secure employments.
