About 243 operational jetties across the country currently function without effective supervision from key maritime regulatory bodies, the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria has said.
MWUN stated in a statement that it disclosed this in a petition dated March 23, 2026, signed by the Secretary-General of MWUN, Oniha Erazua, and addressed to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.
It also called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene to restore the engagement of tally clerks and on-board gangway security men across the nation’s ports and jetties, warning that their continued absence poses serious economic and security risks.
The union described the situation as a fundamental and existential problem within Nigeria’s maritime sector.
“And, there are currently at least 243 jetties operational in Nigeria which operate without the supervision of maritime sector regulators like the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and the Nigerian Ports Authority, causing loss of potential sources of income to the nation,” MWUN stated.
The letter highlighted the complete absence of tally clerks, gangway security personnel, and regulatory agency presence at ports, terminals, jetties, and oil and gas platforms nationwide.
According to MWUN, this gap has enabled terminal operators to sidestep maritime labour laws, particularly the Stevedoring Regulations 2014, by engaging unregistered dockworkers.
The lack of the tally clerks leaves room for under-declaration of cargo, which affects overall revenue generation to the nation; whilst the absence of the on-board gangway security men also contributes to the security lapses, accruing to unchecked proliferation of arms dealings and contraband handling, with a deleterious effect on the nation,” the union stressed.
The union further warned that the lack of tally clerks has encouraged under-declaration of cargo, resulting in significant revenue losses for the country.
MWUN reiterated that their continued absence has occasioned extremely porous security at the ports, jetties, terminals, oil & gas platforms, bonded terminals, dry ports, and every other area where there are port operations.
It also noted that the absence of on-board gangway security men has contributed to growing security lapses, including unchecked arms trafficking and handling of contraband goods.
MWUN stressed that the situation has left Nigeria’s port environments increasingly porous. Describing the development as a breach of statutory maritime obligations, MWUN reiterated its demand for the immediate restoration of the affected categories of workers under a regulated pooling system.
Among its key demands, the union urged the Minister to initiate executive action to reinstate tally clerks and gangway security personnel across all ports. It also called for the establishment of a central pool to be managed by NIMASA for their engagement and deployment.
Additionally, MWUN appealed for directives to be issued to both NIMASA and NPA to recruit and deploy personnel responsible for monitoring compliance with maritime operations and labour laws across ports, dry ports, bonded terminals, and jetties.
The union noted that similar appeals had been made in previous correspondence dating back to 2021 and 2023, alongside reports and memoranda submitted by stakeholders, but lamented that the issue remains unresolved.
MWUN expressed hope that the minister would act swiftly to address what it described as a long-standing challenge with far-reaching implications for national security and revenue generation.
Tally clerks are dockside personnel responsible for counting, recording, and verifying cargo as it is loaded onto or discharged from ships, while on-board gangway security men are security personnel stationed at a ship’s gangway (the access point between ship and shore) while the vessel is in port.
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