Findings by Shipping Position Daily have revealed a significant drop in the number of Nigerians arrested as stowaways on ocean-going vessels this year, signaling what experts describe as a notable shift in a trend that has long troubled the nation’s maritime environment.
Checks by our correspondent of official reports, regional security updates and vessel interception records, showed that no fewer than 31 Nigerians were arrested for stowing away between January and November 2025, far below the 67 arrests recorded by the Nigerian Navy in 2024.
Although the figure reflects only publicly reported cases, the numbers represent a 54 per cent decline, a drop that industry watchers consider significant, even as they warn that it may not fully capture incidents quietly handled by shipping lines or those discovered in neighbouring countries long after the vessels have left Nigerian waters.
From the findings, at least 21 arrests occurred within the first quarter of the year during routine patrols and vessel checks by NNS BEECROFT and other naval units.
Several suspects were pulled out of rudder compartments and other dangerous areas of departing ships, including a January incident involving eight young Nigerians found inside a rudder trunk in Lagos. Another group of 13 was later handed over to immigration officials after being discovered aboard a Europe-bound vessel in March.
In a more recent development, the Ghana Navy intercepted 10 Nigerians in October, after they boarded a Panamanian-flagged vessel within Nigerian waters before it sailed out. Ghanaian authorities later confirmed that all those arrested were Nigerians, further underscoring concerns that some cases slip through local reporting channels and only come to light when the vessels arrive at other West African ports.
The contrast with last year’s figure remains striking, especially as the 2024 tally—one of the highest in recent years—had triggered calls for tighter security around Nigeria’s waterfronts and anchorage zones.
Commenting on the new figures, Dr. Olusesan Ajayi, President of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) Nigeria, attributed the decline to the series of heightened security measures now implemented by the Nigerian Ports Authority, terminal operators and maritime security agencies.
According to him, the port environment has witnessed a noticeable improvement in surveillance and access control, reinforced by the deployment of CCTV systems, underwater cameras and stricter procedures around berthing areas. He explained that most stowaways traditionally take advantage of vulnerabilities around berths, where vessels are stationary, but those gaps have now tightened considerably.
Ajayi also linked the decline to broader maritime security gains, particularly the near disappearance of piracy within Nigeria’s coastal waters. He noted that increased patrols—day and night—by the Nigerian Navy, Marine Police and NIMASA-backed security teams have contributed to a safer maritime domain, making it increasingly difficult for stowaways to exploit vessel movements. He further highlighted that shipping lines are now adopting stronger onboard protocols, while many vessels are escorted by Marine Police up to the fairway buoy, to prevent attempts by stowaways using small boats during pilotage.
He stressed that these achievements reflect a level of inter-agency cooperation that had been lacking in previous years.
While the drop in arrests is encouraging, he cautioned that stowaway incidents remain under-reported, usually because some shipowners prefer to deal with the issue quietly to avoid delays or reputational risks.
Also speaking, Capt. Omoboriowo Israel; a seafarer noted that interceptions made in Togo, Ghana or Côte d’Ivoire—especially involving Nigerians, are also not always captured in Nigeria’s annual statistics, even when suspects are confirmed to have boarded from Lagos.
He also argued that the decline may also be tied to shifting migration patterns, with many young Nigerians now opting for land routes through the Sahel and North Africa, instead of attempting the risky option of hiding inside ships.
Despite the reduction, he stated that the socio-economic conditions are driving young people into such dangerous ventures, even as he argued that, rising unemployment, economic hardship and the pursuit of a better life remain largely unchanged.
He warn that unless these root causes are addressed, Nigeria may be witnessing a temporary dip rather than a permanent solution.
