The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has announced that its newly introduced Maritime Labour E-Platform will significantly strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global maritime industry, as it held a hands-on sensitization workshop for users in Lagos.
The session featured live demonstrations of how seafarers, dockworkers and employers can register, verify their details and obtain secure biometric identity cards through the portal. Participants were also taken through key support measures, cybersecurity safeguards, training plans and the phased rollout strategy to ensure seamless nationwide adoption.
Speaking at the workshop, Executive Director of Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Jibril Abba, said the platform represents a major leap in NIMASA’s digital transformation journey. Represented by the Director, Maritime Labour Services Department, Mr. Ibrahim Umar Sidi, he noted:
“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 added that the shift to biometric digital documentation will reduce paperwork, speed up processing, ensure real-time data availability, and ultimately enhance Nigeria’s fulfilment of international labour obligations.
“By centralizing registration and issuing secure biometric ID cards, the platform gives us reliable real-time data and helps us meet our obligations under the Maritime Labour Convention. This is key to boosting Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global Blue Economy,” he stated.
Abba stressed that the initiative aligns with NIMASA’s statutory mandate under Section 27(1)(a) of the NIMASA Act 2007, which requires the Agency to maintain an updated register of maritime workers and operators. It also supports compliance with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, widely regarded as the “Seafarers’ Bill of Rights”.
The Federal Government officially launched the Maritime Labour E-Platform in June during the 2025 Day of the Seafarer ceremony in Port Harcourt.
At the unveiling, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, described the platform as “a transformative tool for labour administration” poised to modernize governance and strengthen transparency.
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