Nigerian seafarers have once again raised alarm over poor working conditions, rising harassment, and lack of support systems onboard vessels operating in the country’s waters. The call for urgent reforms in the maritime industry came during the 2025 Day of the Seafarers event held in Lagos, organised by the National Seafarers’ Welfare Board of Nigeria in collaboration with the Mission to Seafarers.
Themed “My Harassment-Free Ship”, this year’s event brought together key stakeholders to address the pressing concerns affecting Nigerian maritime workers, especially the increasing cases of verbal abuse, intimidation, and neglect of seafarers’ welfare onboard ships. The participants emphasised the need for actual enforcement of anti-harassment policies and better welfare support.
Delivering the keynote address, maritime lawyer and Managing Partner of Maritime and Commercial Law Chambers, Osuala Emmanuel Nwagbara, urged the Federal Government and industry stakeholders to move beyond policy statements and implement practical, enforceable frameworks to protect Nigerian seafarers. According to him, the unchecked rise in shipboard abuse has serious consequences on mental health, safety, and economic productivity.
“A toxic shipboard environment does not just hurt individuals; it weakens team cohesion, undermines safety protocols, and reduces productivity. In the end, it is not only the seafarer who suffers, but the shipowner and the national economy also bear the brunt,” Nwagbara said.
He called for immediate enforcement of risk assessments, proper anti-harassment frameworks, and confidential reporting systems on all Nigeria-flagged ships, adding that maritime safety is directly linked to crew welfare.
The event also gave a platform to other maritime professionals and stakeholders who shared insights on the conditions faced by Nigerian seafarers, especially women navigating the male-dominated sector. Secretary-General of the African Shipowners’ Association and Lagos Secretary of the Mission to Seafarers, Funmi Folorunso, commended the resilience of Nigerian maritime workers, noting that meaningful change goes beyond legal instruments.
She emphasised the need for strong institutional backing and courage to enforce policies that protect the most vulnerable workers in the maritime space. “We must ensure that protections are not just on paper, but are actually enforced where they are most needed,” she said.
Class surveyor Alalade Matthew also shared his thoughts on the plight of female seafarers. He acknowledged that while Nigerian shipowners have made some progress in opening up opportunities for women at sea, there is still a lot of work to be done. He called for improved gender inclusion policies onboard ships and stressed the need for boundaries, mutual respect, and teamwork among all crew members.
Rev. Francis Aduroja, Chaplain of the Mission to Seafarers, praised the decision to host the event in Lagos, which he described as Nigeria’s commercial maritime hub. He noted that although the national observance of the Day of the Seafarers took place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the Lagos event was significant because of the city’s central role in the nation’s maritime sector.
Aduroja urged the Nigerian maritime community to work together and provide more platforms for seafarers to express their concerns freely without fear of backlash. “We need to create a culture where seafarers can speak up and not feel intimidated or victimised for raising genuine issues,” he said.
Many of the attendees also highlighted the need for government-backed maritime reforms to address issues such as poor crew welfare, lack of rest periods, poor nutrition on vessels, and limited access to mental health support services. They called on the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to take urgent steps in reviewing current maritime labour regulations to ensure they align with international best practices.
The event comes at a time when the Federal Government has pledged to prioritise seafarers’ welfare as part of broader maritime sector reforms. Recently, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, while inaugurating the new board of NIMASA, reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting seafarers and upgrading training and support systems for Nigerian maritime professionals.
As Nigeria looks to position itself as a maritime leader in West Africa, stakeholders say ensuring the welfare and dignity of its seafarers must be at the heart of any reform. The country continues to battle issues such as piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, underemployment of trained seafarers, and outdated maritime labour policies, which many believe are contributing to the current state of dissatisfaction among crew members.
For many Nigerian seafarers, this year’s Day of the Seafarers served as a reminder of both their critical role in keeping the global trade engine running and the need for meaningful change to support their safety and dignity at sea.
