The drive to make Nigeria’s maritime sector more efficient, transparent and globally competitive is gaining fresh momentum as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) deepens engagement with key industry stakeholders.
Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, made the commitment while receiving the leadership of the Alumni Association of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (AMANO), led by its President, Mr. Emmanuel Maiguwa, during a courtesy visit to the Agency’s headquarters in Lagos.
The meeting brought to the fore some of the critical issues shaping Nigeria’s maritime future, particularly the development of Nigerian seafarers, regulatory reforms, stakeholder participation and the need to improve welfare and employment opportunities within the industry.
Mobereola said the Agency would continue to pursue reforms aimed at strengthening regulatory oversight, encouraging innovation and creating more opportunities for Nigerian seafarers, in line with the policy direction of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
“Our vision is to build a maritime administration that is efficient, transparent and globally competitive. We will continue to pursue reforms that strengthen regulatory oversight, promote innovation and expand opportunities for Nigerian seafarers in line with the policy direction of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy,” he said.
For the NIMASA helmsman, achieving that vision requires more than regulatory action. It also demands sustained engagement with organisations that have a direct stake in the development of the maritime industry.
He described the maritime sector as a critical driver of Nigeria’s economic growth and acknowledged AMANO and other industry associations as important partners in shaping policies and programmes capable of unlocking the sector’s enormous potential.
On its part, AMANO used the meeting to acknowledge what it described as positive developments in NIMASA’s regulatory and service-delivery processes.
Maiguwa commended the Agency for the successful deployment of its electronic platform for the issuance of Seafarers’ Certificates, describing the initiative as a significant development that has improved efficiency, transparency and accessibility in the certification process.
Maiguwa commended the Agency for the successful deployment of its electronic platform for the issuance of Seafarers’ Certificates, describing the initiative as a significant development that has improved efficiency, transparency and accessibility in the certification process.
The AMANO president also highlighted NIMASA’s growing network of strategic partnerships and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), noting that such collaborations have created additional opportunities for the training, certification and employment of Nigerian seafarers.
But while acknowledging these developments, the association made it clear that several challenges still require sustained attention.
Among the issues raised by AMANO was the need to expand the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) and strengthen the participation of industry stakeholders in maritime policy formulation.
The association also called for effective implementation of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW Convention), alongside stronger measures to protect Nigerian seafarers from abandonment.
Other areas identified for sustained engagement include the development of a sustainable pension framework and improved welfare initiatives for Nigerian seafarers.
These issues underline a broader concern within the maritime sector: that the development of Nigeria’s shipping industry must go hand in hand with investment in the people who keep the industry moving.
The engagement between NIMASA and AMANO provided an opportunity for both sides to exchange views on the challenges and opportunities confronting the sector.
Discussions covered seafarer development, implementation of international maritime instruments, stakeholder involvement in policy development and initiatives designed to promote sustainable growth across Nigeria’s maritime industry.
For NIMASA, the emphasis is on building a regulatory environment capable of responding to contemporary realities while positioning Nigerian maritime professionals to compete effectively in the global shipping industry.
For AMANO, the priority is ensuring that reforms translate into tangible benefits for seafarers through better training, certification, employment opportunities, protection and welfare.
The meeting therefore represents more than a routine stakeholder engagement. It reflects the growing recognition that Nigeria’s ambition to build a stronger maritime economy will depend on effective collaboration between regulators, industry associations, maritime professionals and other stakeholders.
As NIMASA continues its reform agenda, the challenge now is to turn these commitments and conversations into measurable improvements across the maritime value chain—particularly for the Nigerian seafarer whose skills remain central to the country’s participation in global shipping.
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