800 Nigerian Dockworkers to Gain Employment in 2019

By ZION Olalekan

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has said that not less than eight hundred dockworkers would get employment into Nigerian ports and terminals in year 2019.

This, the agency stated in a book titled ‘Nigeria’s Maritime Industry Forecast’ released in Lagos last week.

NIMASA in the book also said the figure is expected to increase to 920 dockworkers by year 2020.

The agency also said it boarded 1,035 vessels in 2018, out of which 45 of them were arrested for not complying with Nigeria’s Cabotage Law. 31of the arrested vessels have however been released

According to her, there are still identifiable gaps in indigenous capacity with regards to the four pillars of the Cabotage Law which provides for Nigerians to build ships, manning, ownership and registration.

According to NIMASA, 180 vessels are operating on Nigerian waters without Cabotage registration, while 746 foreign owned vessels dominated Nigerian waters in year 2019. The figure increased from 505 foreign vessels recorded in year 2017 and 350 vessels in 2016.

Meanwhile, the apex regulatory agency says that the number of Nigerian seafarers onboard vessels have increased from 6,610 in 2017 to 7, 311 seafarers in 2018. However, the number is lower compared to their foreign counterparts which stands at 7,662 seafarers.

The agency confirmed that about 291 Nigerian shipowners are still operating in the sector and that the 291 ships in operation are wholly owned by Nigerians. Other facts released by the agency includes shows a drop in the number of vessels that were built in Nigeria in 2018. According to NIMASA, 21 vessels were built in 2018 compared to 55 vessels built in year 2017

While fielding questions from journalists in Lagos last week, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside admitted that the 5.5 Maritime Growth Forecast issued by the agency for year 2018 did not come through.

He said that most of the projections were not achieved.

Speaking, he said “We did not achieve the 5.5 percent prediction of last year, but I can tell you that we are closer to it than away from it, we are still waiting for the final figures, they are still computing it, this would give us a clear idea of the growth last year”

“One thing is clear, last year, there was a growth, after 2014, there was a decrease in the demand for shipping services, but just last year it started rising again. One major challenge that if we fail to tackle, we cannot be seen to be serious in terms of growing our maritime capacity is piracy and maritime crime” he said.