The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has reaffirmed its commitment to improving the welfare and professional development of Nigerian seafarers through closer collaboration with the Mission to Seafarers (MtS) and other maritime stakeholders.
The pledge was made by the Director General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, during a courtesy visit by the Chairman of the Mission to Seafarers Lagos Management Committee, Chief Adebayo Sarumi, and the Regional Director, Mission to Seafarers Africa, Reverend Cedric Rautenbach, to the agency’s headquarters in Lagos.
Representing the Director General, NIMASA’s Executive Director, Operations, Fatai Adeyemi, said the agency would continue to implement policies and initiatives that promote seafarers’ welfare, streamline certification processes and strengthen capacity development.
“NIMASA remains committed to improving the welfare of seafarers through enhanced certification processes, capacity development and policies that promote their wellbeing and professional advancement. We will continue to collaborate with stakeholders such as the Mission to Seafarers to ensure that seafarers receive the support they deserve both at sea and in port,” he said.
Sarumi commended NIMASA’s ongoing reforms in the maritime sector and reaffirmed the Mission to Seafarers’ commitment to providing welfare, pastoral care and practical support to seafarers. He expressed confidence that stronger collaboration with the agency would further enhance support for maritime professionals in Nigeria.
Rautenbach said the Mission to Seafarers and the Port Welfare Committee have complementary roles in promoting seafarers’ welfare, stressing that closer cooperation among stakeholders would strengthen support services for crews calling at Nigerian ports.
The meeting also explored ways to improve seafarers’ welfare, promote decent working conditions and expand collaboration to strengthen welfare support across Nigeria’s maritime sector.
NIMASA said it remains committed to protecting the rights and welfare of Nigerian seafarers through stronger stakeholder engagement, effective regulatory oversight and policies aligned with the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006.