Maritime stakeholders have called for effective implementation of shipping policies to boost indigenous participation and accelerate Nigeria’s blue economy growth.
They made the call at a panel session during the 2026 World Maritime Day celebration on Friday in Lagos.
The session, moderated by Mrs Ufon Usoro, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), focused on translating government policies into practical results.
The President, Nigerian Chamber of Shipping, Alhaji Aminu Umar, commended the Federal Government for establishing the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Umar said the ministry had developed a 10-year maritime policy document and initiated port modernisation and digitalisation, alongside efforts to revive the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF).
He, however, called for a clear distinction between Nigerian-flagged and Nigerian-owned vessels, noting that many ships owned by Nigerians operate under foreign flags, including Liberia.
Umar urged the government to review the ship registration system and engage shipowners to understand why they prefer foreign flags.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of NLNG Ship Management Ltd. (NSML), Alhaji AbdulKadir Ahmed, said a thriving maritime economy required reliable shipping assets.
Ahmed said NSML had invested in vessels and local operations, creating opportunities for Nigerian seafarers to work globally.
He disclosed that the company was the largest single employer of Nigerians on ocean-going vessels, with more than 50 captains and chief engineers.
He called for stronger collaboration between regulators and industry operators, stressing that regulation should facilitate growth rather than focus solely on enforcement.
Similarly, the Managing Director of Maritime Shipping and Ocean International Resources Ltd., Mrs Oluseyi Oluyede, said many sound policies failed because they were difficult to implement in practice.
Oluyede cited Section 56 of the NIMASA Act on cargo carriage, questioning how indigenous operators could acquire vessels without guaranteed cargo.
She identified the recent 236 million pounds UK-Nigeria infrastructure agreement, including 76 million pounds for steel imports, as an opportunity to increase indigenous participation in shipping.
Oluyede urged the government to review impractical policies, involve industry practitioners in advisory committees and ensure cargo availability for local operators.
She said such measures would help translate Nigeria’s Category C status at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) into increased indigenous fleet capacity.
