President of the Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN), Emmanuel Maiguwa, has warned that Nigeria risks losing its competitive edge in the global maritime arena unless policymakers and industry players urgently embrace a coordinated, strategic collaboration framework across the sector.
Maiguwa issued the warning while presenting a paper titled “Repositioning the Nigerian Maritime Industry: The Imperative of Strategic Collaboration for Sustainable Growth and Global Competitiveness” at the 2025 Nigerian Maritime Expo (NIMAREX).
He noted that although the maritime industry recorded about 12 percent growth in the first half of 2025 driven largely by currency reforms and energy-sector expansion, the momentum is neither sustainable nor transformative unless tied to deeper competitiveness, stronger institutions, and a unified operational culture.
According to him, the sector continues to operate below its potential due to a fragmented regulatory environment, poor safety culture, ageing vessels, weak enforcement, rising security incidents, and persistent environmental degradation along Nigeria’s waterways.
Maiguwa described the current state of the industry as one plagued by “policy and operational silos” that limit efficiency, inflate costs, and erode investor confidence. He argued that Nigeria cannot rely solely on international conventions to drive reforms, insisting that most global maritime frameworks—such as the ISPS Code—originated from strong domestic systems in other nations. He warned that a compliance-only approach, without a robust homegrown collaborative system, would keep Nigeria uncompetitive and perpetually reactive.
On maritime safety, he highlighted recurring accidents, inadequate vessel inspections, insufficient crew training, and weak emergency response systems.
He called for joint training programmes involving seafarers, regulators, and global maritime institutions, as well as the establishment of a unified digital safety-monitoring platform accessible across agencies and operators.
He also proposed the creation of a national Maritime Standards Organisation to domesticate and harmonise operational requirements beyond what existing conventions cover.
Addressing maritime security, Maiguwa observed that the Gulf of Guinea remains one of the world’s most dangerous regions, with piracy, kidnapping, smuggling, and other transnational crimes heightening operational costs and discouraging investment.
He emphasised that genuine security improvements can only occur through coordinated patrols, structured intelligence-sharing, and a regulated private-sector participation model that prevents a chaotic, cost-heavy security marketplace among shipping companies.
He called for deeper integration with frameworks such as the Yaoundé Code of Conduct but through a system that balances military operations with commercially acceptable security architecture.
Maiguwa also raised concerns over the worsening environmental footprint of maritime operations, citing oil spills, waste discharge, poor ballast-water management, and the degradation of marine ecosystems.
He urged government agencies, industry players, researchers, and community actors to jointly invest in green infrastructure, environmental monitoring, and public education to protect marine resources and maintain Nigeria’s relevance in an increasingly sustainability-driven global shipping market.
He further stressed that repositioning the maritime industry requires coordinated investment in port modernisation, regulatory alignment with global best practices, infrastructure renewal, technology adoption, and transparent processes. He argued that Nigeria stands to unlock new markets, attract global shipping lines, and position itself as a regional maritime hub only if stakeholders “break down silos” and adopt a unified strategy for safety, security, and environmental stewardship.
He concluded on a cautionary but hopeful note, insisting that collaboration is no longer optional for the industry.
“When efforts are organic, developing a well-coordinated local system that integrates with international standards, we will own it, operate it to an acceptable standard, make it affordable, and compete with other states,” he said.
He added that Nigeria can only achieve sustainable maritime growth when government, private sector players, international partners, and coastal communities act as a single ecosystem rather than isolated actors.
