By Oluyinka Onigbinde
A leading maritime expert and Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Seamate Maritime Integrated Services Limited, Captain Ladi Olubowale, has called on the Federal Government to make substantial investments in maritime human capital development, stressing that Nigeria’s ambition of becoming Africa’s leading maritime nation can only be achieved through a competent, sustainable and globally competitive maritime workforce.
Speaking in Lagos as Nigeria joined the global maritime community to commemorate the 2026 Day of the Seafarer, Olubowale said the country’s maritime future rests largely on the quality, competence and sustainability of its seafarers and maritime professionals.
The former President of the Nigeria chapter of the Africa Shipowners Association (ASA) noted that while infrastructure development, port modernization and policy reforms remain important, no nation has attained maritime greatness without deliberate investments in its people.
According to him, the future of Nigeria’s shipping industry, port operations, offshore sector, coastal trade, marine services and the Blue Economy is directly linked to the strength and capacity of its maritime workforce.
“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.
Olubowale emphasized that Nigeria must significantly increase investments in maritime education, training and capacity development if it hopes to compete effectively in the global maritime industry.
He argued that the country’s Blue Economy aspirations would be difficult to achieve without a deliberate strategy aimed at producing highly skilled maritime professionals capable of supporting emerging opportunities across the maritime value chain.
According to him, “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.”
The maritime practitioner expressed concern over the persistent challenge of sea-time training opportunities for Nigerian cadets, describing the issue as one of the biggest obstacles to the development of indigenous maritime manpower.
He noted that despite the increasing number of graduates from maritime institutions, many aspiring seafarers are unable to obtain the mandatory sea-time experience required for professional certification and career advancement.
Olubowale called for a coordinated intervention involving government agencies, maritime regulators, shipowners, offshore operators, training institutions and private sector stakeholders to address the challenge.
“The future competitiveness of Nigerian seafarers depends not only on certification but also on meaningful exposure to modern vessel operations and international best practices,” he stated.
To address the challenges confronting the sector, the maritime expert advocated the development of a comprehensive National Seafarers Development Strategy that would integrate maritime education, sea-time training opportunities, certification pathways, welfare standards, employment generation, leadership development and international competitiveness into a single coordinated framework.
He said such a strategy would ensure the continuous production of highly skilled maritime professionals capable of supporting Nigeria’s shipping, logistics, offshore and Blue Economy ambitions over the coming decades.
Olubowale also renewed calls for stronger implementation of policies aimed at promoting indigenous shipping development and seafarer employment.
According to him, efforts to strengthen indigenous ship ownership, support fleet expansion, encourage greater participation in coastal shipping and increase Nigerian involvement in maritime transportation would create more employment opportunities, facilitate sea-time acquisition, promote skills development and encourage technology transfer within the industry.
Beyond training and employment, he stressed the need to prioritize seafarers’ welfare, noting that sustainable maritime development must be built on a strong commitment to the wellbeing of maritime workers.
He urged the Federal Government to create pathways that would enable experienced seafarers to transition into leadership positions within maritime administration, policy-making and industry governance.
“A truly sustainable maritime sector must create pathways that enable seafarers to transition from shipboard service into positions of leadership and influence ashore. The experience gained at sea is invaluable to the development of effective maritime institutions and governance systems,” he said.
Olubowale further called for deliberate initiatives to attract more young Nigerians into maritime careers while promoting greater participation of women in seafaring and maritime leadership roles.
According to him, inclusive participation and effective governance remain critical to building a globally competitive maritime industry capable of sustaining long-term growth.
“No maritime sector can achieve sustainable growth without effective governance. Professional, transparent, accountable and forward-looking governance remains essential to building a globally competitive maritime industry,” he added.
Reflecting on the significance of this year’s Day of the Seafarer celebration, themed “Carrying World Trade, Carrying the Risks,” Olubowale described the theme as timely and appropriate given the critical role seafarers play in sustaining global commerce despite often remaining largely invisible to the public.
The Seamate Maritime boss, who also serves as an Ambassador of the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN), United Kingdom, paid tribute to Nigerian seafarers serving aboard merchant vessels, tankers, offshore support vessels, container ships, fishing fleets, dredgers and other specialized maritime platforms across the world.
“We honour their professionalism. We recognize their resilience. We celebrate their contribution. And we acknowledge their sacrifices,” he said.
He concluded by urging government, industry stakeholders and policymakers to use the occasion as a turning point for renewed commitment towards placing Nigerian seafarers at the heart of maritime development, insisting that the country’s maritime future will ultimately be shaped by the quality of its people rather than the size of its infrastructure.
For Nigeria to fully harness the vast opportunities within the maritime and Blue Economy sectors, Olubowale maintained, seafarers must be recognized not only as workers but as strategic national assets whose development is essential to the country’s economic growth and maritime competitiveness
