shippingposition
  • Home
  • News
  • Editorial
    • Vox Pop
  • Maritime safety
  • Oil and Gas
  • Personality
  • Health
No Result
View All Result
shippingposition

Home » How NIMASA’s Inactions Cost Nigerian Seafarers Oppurtunities On Board Foreign Ships – Expert

How NIMASA’s Inactions Cost Nigerian Seafarers Oppurtunities On Board Foreign Ships – Expert

by Joshua
March 28, 2024
in Featured, News

A Maritime expert has stated that the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has failed to secure employment opportunities onboard foreign ships for Nigerian seafarers ahead of their peers from other countries.

A Leader and Co-Founder of Maritime Officers Forum Nigeria, Mr Jeremiah Emmanuel, revealed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday.

Emmanuel explained that for a seafarer to work onboard a foreign vessel, its flag must have an MoU with the seafarer’s country of origin.

He said the leading seafaring nations had prioritised having Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with top shipping nations.

He said NIMASA, in that aspect, had exhibited lack of success in its diplomatic role to give Nigerian seafarers a level playing field in the comity of maritime nations.

“In 2018, after our studies in Ghana, we realised that most of our colleagues, especially Cameroonian and Ghanaian seafarers, ended up getting employment opportunities onboard foreign ocean-going vessels.

But Nigerians ended up with opportunities within the nation’s territorial waters.”

“When we asked some of the foreign liners why they weren’t taking Nigerians, they complained about the Nigerian image in the international community, the absence of MoU with the Nigerian maritime administration and other complications in getting passports.

“Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has MoUs with over 30 shipping nations and this gives Ghanaian seafarers an advantage.

“Ghana recently sealed an MoU with UK, but they already had agreement with Malta, Singapore, among others.

Nigeria doesn’t have an MoU with these countries, therefore, they keep rejecting Nigerian seafarers onboard their vessels.” Emmanuel said.

The seafarer, who is currently onboard an American vessel, also stressed that Near Coastal Voyage (NCV) limitation should be scrapped from the Officers of the Watch (OOW) Licence issued by NIMASA, adding that it was not applicable anywhere in the world.

“We have been encouraging the government to follow the standards globally because OOW shouldn’t have a limitation.”

“The difference is that those with BSc/ HND get exempted from educational courses and take only the professional courses while those with ND/Rating watch keeping undergo the professional and educational courses and exams,” he said.

Emmanuel also observed that poor remuneration, welfare and unfair treatment of seafarers in Nigeria made foreign opportunities more appealing and rewarding to the professionals.

He alleged that following the influx of Nigerian seafarers into Ghana for trainings and unlimited OOW, Ghana recently started giving Nigerian seafarers NCV with an excuse that the vessels did not sail from one continent to another.

“We have started telling our members to stop going to Ghana for trainings. It costs a minimum of N15 million to get an OOW certificate in Ghana.

“We have told our members not to spend this much only to end up with a limitation in Ghana.”

“I think the maritime regulator in Ghana is trying to create STCWGH with this clause of sailing across intercontinental waters.

“They insist that 12 to 18 months of the seatime has to be outside Africa.

“What if your vessel is foreign going but during your sailing on that vessel due to ship itinerary, you only call in African Ports? Will the seafarer tell the company that they should change the route.

“I signed my insurance for my current company before commencing work. While working in Nigeria, I never saw my insurance papers, let alone signing them.”

“You can find a seafarer travelling from Port Harcourt to Lagos for an interview that can be done online.

“Salaries are also poor for seafarers working in Nigeria; meanwhile the prices of the trainings, which are in dollars, keep increasing.

“The poor remuneration of Nigerian seafarers currently makes it difficult for them to renew their licences via trainings that are priced in dollars globally,” he added.

Emmanuel lamented absence of insurance packages for seafarers in Nigeria, noting that it was top priority abroad.

 


Related Posts

Aliko Dangote Submits Paperwork To Build Nigeria’s Largest Seaport In Ogun

Nigeria Ramps Up Campaign for IMO Category C Seat, Showcases Maritime, Aviation Potential on Global Stage

July 15, 2025
WCO Chairmanship: Afam Chukwuma Hails Adeniyi’s Appointment as Major Boost for Nigeria’s Customs and Economy

WCO Chairmanship: Afam Chukwuma Hails Adeniyi’s Appointment as Major Boost for Nigeria’s Customs and Economy

July 15, 2025
Aliko Dangote Submits Paperwork To Build Nigeria’s Largest Seaport In Ogun

Aliko Dangote Submits Paperwork To Build Nigeria’s Largest Seaport In Ogun

July 15, 2025
Aliko Dangote Submits Paperwork To Build Nigeria’s Largest Seaport In Ogun

Nigeria Customs Boss Extols Late Buhari’s Legacy Of Discipline

July 15, 2025

Latest News

Aliko Dangote Submits Paperwork To Build Nigeria’s Largest Seaport In Ogun

Nigeria Ramps Up Campaign for IMO Category C Seat, Showcases Maritime, Aviation Potential on Global Stage

July 15, 2025

WCO Chairmanship: Afam Chukwuma Hails Adeniyi’s Appointment as Major Boost for Nigeria’s Customs and Economy

Aliko Dangote Submits Paperwork To Build Nigeria’s Largest Seaport In Ogun

Nigeria Customs Boss Extols Late Buhari’s Legacy Of Discipline

Vessels Expected At Lagos Ports As At 14th July, 2025

Duty-Free, But Not Trouble-Free: Mixed Reactions Trail UK’s Trade Window For Nigerian Exports

At Last, Lekki-Epe Corridor Stakeholders Agree On August 1st Enforcement Date For E-Call-Up 

Nigeria Losing Billions To Boat Importation As Indigenous Operators Urge Local Shipbuilding Drive

Court Ruling Against CRFFN’s Regulatory Powers Tears Customs Brokers Apart   

Oyetola Reaffirms Commitment to Logistics Reform, Commissions Zenith Carex HQ

Let the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria Breathe

MONDAY INTERVIEW: “70% of the crew of Ocean Dragon are Nigerians”— Mrs Bernadine Eloka 

kindly like our Facebook page

Health

The Usefulness Of Watermelon Seeds You May Not Know
Health

The Usefulness Of Watermelon Seeds You May Not Know

July 14, 2025

Watermelon is one fruit that’s hard to resist when it gets too hot. It’s sweet and is high in water...

KNOW YOUR BODY PARTS: THE HEART

KNOW YOUR BODY PARTS: THE HEART

June 30, 2025
Why Your Favourite Seasoning Cubes May Be Hurting Your Kidneys

Why Your Favourite Seasoning Cubes May Be Hurting Your Kidneys

June 30, 2025
Contraceptive Pills Can’t Cause Cervical Cancer – Expert

Contraceptive Pills Can’t Cause Cervical Cancer – Expert

June 30, 2025
ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

KNOW YOUR BODY PARTS: The Liver

June 16, 2025
ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

June 16, 2025
Why Prostate Disorder Cases Are Increasing Among Nigerian Men – Experts

Why Prostate Disorder Cases Are Increasing Among Nigerian Men – Experts

June 1, 2025
20m Nigerians Live With Mental Health Issues, Says WHO

20m Nigerians Live With Mental Health Issues, Says WHO

June 1, 2025
Health Facts You Didn’t Know

How Your Habit Affects Fertility

May 19, 2025
Fruits For Raining Season

Fruits For Raining Season

May 19, 2025

© 2021 Shippingposition

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Coast To Coast
  • Oil and Gas
  • Maritime Education
  • The Terminals
  • Maritime safety

© 2021 Shippingposition