The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) have formalised a landmark partnership to promote the mental health and wellbeing of Nigerian seafarers and cadets through training, awareness and capacity building.
The partnership was sealed with the endorsement of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the end of a three-day Seafarers’ and Cadets’ Wellbeing Awareness and Train the Trainers Programme, organised by NIMASA in collaboration with the ITF under the theme, “Stress: Understanding, Early Management and Coping”.
Speaking at the event, NIMASA Director-General, Dr Dayo Mobereola, said the agreement would strengthen capacity building and support the integration of seafarers’ wellbeing into maritime training curricula, making mental health awareness a permanent feature of preparations for life at sea.
Represented by the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Jibril Abba, who endorsed the MoU on behalf of the agency, Mobereola stressed that seafarers’ mental wellbeing was fundamental to safe shipping and the protection of maritime workers.
He said the programme would equip maritime training institutions, NIMASA officers and union partners with the skills to recognise and manage stress, as well as provide psychological first aid when necessary.
Mobereola also highlighted the psychological pressures associated with working at sea, including stress, anxiety, depression and burnout. Citing a 2019 study commissioned by the ITF in collaboration with Yale University, he noted that one in four seafarers surveyed showed signs of depression, while approximately one in six exhibited signs of anxiety.
ITF Africa Regional Secretary, Safiyanu Dauda Mohammed, who signed the MoU on behalf of the federation, described the agreement as the first of its kind between the ITF and a country in Africa.
He said Nigeria’s involvement marked a significant step towards prioritising the welfare of seafarers, whose work is critical to the maritime industry.
“It is very exciting for me because it is the first in Africa, and we are starting with Nigeria. Seafarers are very critical workers in the maritime sector. So it is very important to prioritise their wellbeing and welfare, to mitigate their anxiety and depression,” Mohammed said.
President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Francis Bunu, also welcomed the agreement, describing it as a significant milestone for Nigerian seafarers.
“We need seafarers to be mentally sound while doing their job, and that is why today is a very significant day for seafarers in Nigeria,” he said.
Other stakeholders at the event included the National President of the Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association, Bob Joseph Yousou; ITF Wellbeing Coordinator, Asif Altaf; and ITF Inspector, Hamani Amadou.
