NIMASA Says Maritime Labour E-Platform Will Drive Global Competitiveness

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has reaffirmed that the newly launched Maritime Labour E-Platform will significantly enhance the nation’s maritime competitiveness.

This assurance came during a sensitisation workshop in Lagos, where stakeholders were taken through practical demonstrations and interactive sessions on how to use the portal.

The workshop showcased the end-to-end process of registering, verifying, and issuing identity cards to seafarers and dockworkers through the NIMASA portal. Participants also discussed support measures such as training, cybersecurity, and a phased rollout strategy to ensure a smooth nationwide adoption.

Speaking at the event, the NIMASA Executive Director for Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Jibril Abba, highlighted the platform’s critical role in promoting global competitiveness. “Our digital transformation is underway. This year we launched the Maritime Labour E-Platform, building on our 2022 dockworkers registration success.

“It is a modern, integrated system for registering and verifying seafarers, dockworkers, employers, and other stakeholders”, he said.

Represented by the Director of Maritime Labour Services, Mr. Ibrahim Umar Sidi, the Executive Director added that the platform’s centralised registration and secure biometric ID system will reduce paperwork, accelerate processing, and provide reliable real-time data—key to fulfilling Nigeria’s obligations under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) and strengthening the country’s standing in the global Blue Economy.

He further emphasised that the initiative aligns with NIMASA’s statutory responsibilities, noting that it fulfils Section 27(1)(a) of the NIMASA Act 2007, which mandates the agency to maintain a register of all maritime workers and operators. It also supports Nigeria’s compliance with the MLC 2006, widely regarded as the “Seafarers’ Bill of Rights”.

The Maritime Labour E-Platform was officially launched by the Federal Government during the 2025 Day of the Seafarer celebration in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

At the launch, the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, described the platform as “a transformative tool for labour administration”, reaffirming its importance in driving transparency, efficiency, and modernisation within Nigeria’s maritime sector.