The Federal Government has been urged to develop a comprehensive National Seafarers Development Strategy to align maritime education, sea-time training, certification, welfare, employment and leadership development under a coordinated national framework.

The Ambassador of the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN), United Kingdom, Ladi Olubowale, stated this in his message to commemorate the 2026 Day of the Seafarer. He urged Nigeria to invest significantly in seafarers, maritime leadership and human capital development as a critical strategy for unlocking the country’s Marine and Blue Economy potential.

He emphasised that Nigeria’s ambition to become a maritime powerhouse in Africa would depend less on infrastructure and more on deliberate investments in indigenous maritime professionals.

Olubowale, who is the past President of the African Shipowners Association (ASA), stressed that with over 80 per cent of global trade transported by sea, seafarers remain the backbone of the global economy despite receiving limited recognition for their contributions.

“No maritime nation has ever achieved maritime greatness without investing in its seafarers. The future of Nigeria’s Blue Economy will not be determined solely by the ships we acquire, the ports we modernise, or the policies we formulate, but by the people we train, protect, empower, and elevate to leadership within the maritime sector,” he stated.

The maritime expert argued that Norway, Singapore, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Denmark and the Netherlands achieved maritime excellence by consistently investing in maritime education, training and human capital development.

Olubowale maintained that the success of Nigeria’s Blue Economy agenda would depend significantly on the availability of skilled professionals across shipping, fisheries, marine logistics, offshore energy, coastal tourism, marine technology and maritime security.

He called for increased investment in maritime education through the modernisation of training institutions, expansion of simulation facilities, strengthened certification systems, updated curricula and enhanced collaboration between academia and industry.

Olubowale also urged stakeholders to address the longstanding shortage of sea-time training opportunities for cadets, describing it as one of the biggest constraints to developing indigenous maritime manpower.

The maritime expert noted that indigenous shipping development must also be prioritised, arguing that local ship ownership and fleet expansion would create employment opportunities, facilitate sea-time acquisition and promote technology transfer and local capacity building.

Beyond training, Olubowale stressed the need to improve the welfare of Nigerian seafarers through fair employment, decent working conditions, timely remuneration, healthcare access, mental health support, career advancement opportunities and retirement protection.

He, however, paid tribute to Nigerian seafarers serving on merchant vessels, tankers, offshore support vessels, container ships, fishing fleets, dredgers and other maritime platforms worldwide, describing them as national assets whose expertise contributes directly to economic growth, international trade, energy security and national development.

Olubowale also advocated for deliberate policies that would enable experienced seafarers to transition into leadership positions as maritime administrators, port managers, regulators, educators, policy advisers and Blue Economy strategists.

Olubowale added that greater professional representation would improve policy implementation, regulatory effectiveness, local capacity development and Nigeria’s competitiveness within the global maritime industry.