New maritime labour e-platform will boost competitiveness, transparency - NIMASA

By Seun Ibiyemi

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has described the newly launched Maritime Labour E-Platform as a major step toward enhancing efficiency, transparency, and global competitiveness in the country’s maritime labour system.

This was stated in statement made available to NewsDirect by Deputy Director/Head, Public Relations, NIMASA, Osagie Edward.

At a sensitization workshop held in Lagos, the Agency engaged maritime operators through practical demonstrations and interactive sessions on how to register, verify, and process identity cards for seafarers and dockworkers via the NIMASA digital portal. 

Participants were also briefed on training support, cybersecurity safeguards, and the planned phased rollout to ensure smooth adoption across the sector.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Jibril Abba, said the platform represents a key milestone in NIMASA’s digitization drive. Represented by the Director, Maritime Labour Services Department, Mr. Ibrahim Umar Sidi, Abba noted that the system builds on the agency’s 2022 dockworker registration success and integrates all essential processes into a modern, centralized digital ecosystem.

“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 stated.

He added that by centralizing registration and issuing secure biometric identity cards, the platform drastically reduces paperwork, accelerates processing, and provides accurate real-time data needed for regulatory oversight. According to him, the platform also strengthens Nigeria’s compliance with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, enabling the country to better uphold fair working conditions and global labour standards.

Abba emphasized that the initiative aligns with NIMASA’s statutory responsibilities, highlighting that Section 27(1)(a) of the NIMASA Act 2007 mandates the agency to document and maintain a register of all maritime workers and operators. “This initiative directly fulfils our mandate and positions Nigeria more competitively within the global Blue Economy,” he said.

The Federal Government launched the Maritime Labour E-Platform in June during the 2025 Day of the Seafarer celebration in Port Harcourt.

At the time, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, described the platform as “a transformative tool for labour administration” designed to revolutionize maritime workforce governance.