The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and the Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association ( NMNOWTSSA) have vowed to boycott the 2026 Day of the Seafarer celebration scheduled for June 25, accusing the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) of neglecting seafarer training, weak safety enforcement, and failing to adequately support Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) implementation in the industry.
The annual Seafarer Day event, organised by NIMASA and observed globally under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), is dedicated to recognising the invaluable contributions of seafarers to global trade and the world economy.
The theme for this year’s celebration, “Carrying World Trade, Carrying the Risk,” highlights the critical role seafarers play in sustaining international commerce while drawing attention to the dangers, hardships and mental health challenges they encounter, particularly in high-risk and conflict-prone regions.
However, the leadership of both unions said it has informed NIMASA of its decision not to participate in the event, citing what it described as the agency’s failure to fulfil its responsibility of training and developing Nigerian seafarers.
Speaking exclusively to Maritime Today online, a member of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) criticised what he described as years of neglect in seafarer training and safety enforcement.
“The two trade unions — MWUN and the Merchant Navy Officers will not attend the Seafarers Day celebration being organized by NIMASA. We have written to them,” the source said.
He accused NIMASA of failing in its responsibilities, particularly in the training of ratings and enforcement of safety standards across maritime workplaces.
“It is NIMASA’s responsibility to train seafarers, but for the past two years ratings have not been trained despite the risks they face daily on board vessels.
“You cannot focus only on senior officers while neglecting junior personnel who are equally important to safe ship operations,” he said.
“If you train pilots and neglect cabin crew, can the pilot perform the duties of an air hostess? Every category of worker requires training to perform effectively and safely,” he added.
The union leader also linked recurring maritime accidents to what he described as weak enforcement of safety regulations by NIMASA.
According to him, the agency’s enforcement personnel have not been sufficiently visible in monitoring compliance with safety standards across maritime workplaces.
“Many maritime accidents occur because safety regulations are not strictly enforced. The enforcement officers are hardly seen in the field. When accidents happen, companies suffer losses and workers become victims because those responsible for ensuring compliance are not doing enough.
“If NIMASA’s enforcement teams regularly inspected shipping companies and monitored activities on the quayside, operators and workers would take safety requirements more seriously,” he said.
In a separate reaction, the President of the Merchant Navy Officers, Chief Bob Joseph Yousuo, also confirmed that both unions would not take part in the celebration, citing what he described as NIMASA’s failure to effectively engage seafarers’ employers and enforce industry agreements.
According to him, NIMASA has not adequately supported the implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) which is meant to safeguard the welfare and working conditions of Nigerian seafarers.
“NIMASA is supposed to know that the Maritime Workers’ Union and the Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers are the core representatives of Nigerian seafarers, but most of the things they are supposed to implement and enforce, they are not doing it,” Yousuo said.
He noted that while CBAs are signed between shipowners and unions to establish minimum standards for wages and working conditions, many shipping companies were not complying with the agreements.
“Only a few companies are complying with the CBA. And I can tell you that 50 to 60 percent of Nigerian seafarers are not benefiting from what we are fighting for,” he said.
Yousuo explained that the National Joint Industrial Council ( NJIC) framework is intended to ensure that CBAs are domesticated across individual shipping companies, establishing minimum wage structures and working conditions, while allowing companies to offer improved packages where possible.
He, however, expressed disappointment that regulatory intervention in enforcing compliance across companies has remained weak, leaving a large portion of seafarers outside the protection of the agreements.
“All we are saying is that we expect NIMASA to bring these companies to the table. When we write to them, we expect NIMASA to invite them so that we can sit together and ensure full implementation of the NJIC agreement.
“Unfortunately, NIMASA is not making enough effort to ensure compliance across the industry,” he said.
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