Stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime sector have expressed mixed reactions over the industry’s performance in 2025, with many agreeing that the country’s return to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Category ‘C’ remains the only visible achievement, even as they argue that fundamental operational, regulatory and welfare challenges continue to trail the sector.
Speaking in separate interviews with Shipping Position Daily last week, maritime professionals said while Nigeria’s election into the IMO Council’s Category ‘C’ boosted the nation’s international profile, the development may not translate into tangible benefits for seafarers, port users and logistics operators.
Overall, stakeholders agreed that while Nigeria’s return to IMO Category C is a major diplomatic and symbolic win, it remains insufficient on its own. They insist that without deep reforms in seafarer welfare, port automation, regulatory clarity, security consolidation and institutional harmony, the maritime sector’s new international status, will not translate into real economic and operational gains for the country.
In a chat with our correspondent, a master mariner, Captain Henry Gumwalk, said the IMO achievement is symbolic, but has limited direct impact on practitioners, particularly seafarers. According to him, every policy success in the maritime industry must be judged by how it affects those working at sea.
Gumwalk noted that while government officials and administrators would celebrate the development because it places Nigeria among decision-makers at the global level, the ordinary seafarer may not immediately feel the impact on employment, welfare or career progression.
However, he acknowledged that Nigeria’s return to IMO Category ‘C’ is still the biggest milestone of 2025 for the sector, adding that the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has begun positioning itself for broader reforms.
“As much as I was happy that Nigeria got a seat in Category C at the IMO, the question my cadets and junior colleagues kept asking me was, what does this category mean for the seafarer? And honestly, that was difficult for me to answer. Down to the seafarers and the common man in the maritime industry, it might mean nothing. It may not directly affect their lives or jobs. That is the part that does not make me completely happy.
“For me, it is the biggest one. The industry had a downtime, but it is gradually picking up. The ministry started well. They hit something, which is Category C, and also insecurity incidents on our waters have reduced,” Gumwalk said.
Taking a more critical stance, a Chieftain of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Pius Ujubunu also argued that Nigeria’s IMO success is largely political and masks deeper structural failures in the industry. He said the sector remains highly technical and should not be driven by political appointees.
According to him, most officials spend valuable time learning on the job, leaving little room for innovation or expansion. Ujubunu lamented what he described as regulatory confusion, weak innovation and institutional overlap.
“You don’t do the same thing every season and expect a different result. The maritime industry is technical and people-driven, but we keep appointing politicians who know next-to-nothing about the industry. Even this issue of Category C is more political than real achievement. We have a Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, but has he truly interpreted what the blue economy means? What policies have been rolled out? What framework has been established?” Ujubunu queried.
Offering a different perspective, another stakeholder; the Former Chairman, Institute of Chartered Ship Brokers (ICS), Dr Chris Ebare said Nigeria’s return to IMO Category ‘C’ should not be overstated as a miracle achievement, arguing that the country was long overdue for the position. However, he credited the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for strategic leadership and international engagement that helped secure the seat.
He explained that the breakthrough came through professionalism and diplomacy, rather than political grandstanding.
Dr. Ebare also praised reforms across maritime agencies, including NIMASA, NPA, NIWA and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, noting improvements in revenue generation, professionalism and human capital development. “Nigeria being elected into the IMO Category is not new; we were overdue for it. But I must give kudos to the Honourable Minister. He is a silent achiever,” Ebare said.
From the logistics sub-sector, haulage operator and Chieftain of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Rilwan Bello said Nigeria’s IMO success means little without deep reforms at the ports, especially in regulation, automation and anti-corruption enforcement.
Bello identified corruption and regulatory bottlenecks around the ports as major obstacles to productivity. He also dismissed claims of full automation at Apapa and Tin Can ports, insisting that manual processes still dominate operations.
The AMATO Chieftain however warned that planned decentralisation of port operations to other regions would fail without first fixing Lagos ports. “More than 90 per cent of genuine transporters will agree that what we need is full and sustainable reform, efficiency and inclusive growth.
“We need regulatory clarity and anti-corruption enforcement. There are too many checkpoints, too many agencies creating obstacles into the ports. We need a body independent of NPA to checkmate the excesses of police, customs and others,” Bello said.
