The Chief Executive Officer of Bricks Marine & Trading Limited and President of the Alumni of Maritime Academy of Nigeria (AMANO), Emmanuel Maiguwa, has called for a reassessment of Nigeria’s Cabotage policy, arguing that the country needs a more flexible approach to indigenous shipping development, foreign participation and seafarer training.
Maiguwa said the policy, which has been in place for more than two decades, should be evaluated against its original objectives, particularly its impact on local ship ownership, the development of Nigerian seafarers and the growth of domestic shipping capacity.
He argued that reserving coastal trade for Nigerian operators would not, on its own, guarantee a competitive maritime industry, especially when local shipowners face high financing costs and limited opportunities to deploy vessels outside the country. He therefore advocated a hybrid framework that protects national interests while allowing foreign participation to support skills transfer and operational efficiency.
Using Platform Supply Vessels (PSVs) as an example, Maiguwa noted that vessels costing between $150 million and $200 million could secure employment in Nigeria for only about three months in a year, leaving owners to bear the cost of maintaining them during periods without contracts. He questioned how Nigerian investors could finance such acquisitions when the vessels might face restrictions on operating in other countries with their own Cabotage laws.
Maiguwa maintained that foreign participation should not be viewed solely as a threat to local ownership, pointing out that working alongside foreign seafarers and gaining international experience had contributed to the professional development of Nigerian maritime personnel. He urged the government to assess how effectively the existing policy has developed local shipping capacity and produced experienced seafarers.
Beyond Cabotage, he identified the difficulty of securing sea time after obtaining a Certificate of Competency (CoC) as a major challenge confronting Nigerian seafarers, particularly cadets and junior officers seeking to advance their careers.
He explained that the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) had helped graduates of Nautical Science and Marine Engineering progress towards Officer of the Watch certification, but had not adequately addressed the next stage of their careers, when they must secure employment onboard vessels to accumulate the sea service required for higher certifications.
According to him, obtaining a CoC does not automatically provide a pathway to employment as a Third Officer, while progression to higher professional grades also depends on additional sea service. He said Nigeria would continue to struggle to develop experienced seafarers without sufficient vessels to provide practical training and employment opportunities.
Maiguwa urged the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to consider expanding the NSDP to include Electro-Technical Officers (ETOs), noting that training platforms for this category of maritime professionals remained limited. He also called for an independent audit of Nigeria’s seafarer certification processes to strengthen international confidence and encourage more countries to enter into recognition agreements with the country.
Assessing the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy three years after its establishment, Maiguwa described the development of a National Policy for Marine and Blue Economy as an important step towards providing direction for the sector. However, he said the government must now focus on a clear implementation strategy capable of translating policy objectives into measurable industry growth.
He argued that although the Ministry had made progress in establishing its structures and developing policy direction, stakeholders needed greater clarity on how its policies would be implemented. He said priorities should include increasing vessel calls and seaborne trade, improving services for visiting ships, expanding Nigeria’s vessel registry, promoting shipbuilding and strengthening seafarer training.
While acknowledging developments such as deep-seaport expansion and initiatives encouraging states to formulate their own marine and blue economy policies, Maiguwa said the sector needed a more specific strategy for addressing its major challenges. He stressed that long-term planning must be complemented by practical steps capable of delivering results.
He also identified marine insurance as an area requiring reform, arguing that the structure of Hull and Machinery (H&M) insurance premiums does not adequately reward shipowners who invest in safer operations and improved risk management. According to him, premiums may be charged at the same rate regardless of differences in operators’ standards, leaving responsible businesses without sufficient financial incentives to improve performance.
Maiguwa disclosed that he participated in a committee established in 2019 to consider creating a Nigerian Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Club. The proposal was intended to be driven by the private sector, with NIMASA providing coordination and support, but the initiative did not progress following a change in government.
On the development of future maritime professionals, he stressed the importance of practical experience, mentorship and passion, advising young people entering the industry to remain curious, ask questions and contribute to improving existing practices rather than relying solely on academic qualifications.
He warned that professionals who spend their careers waiting for instructions without developing practical expertise could struggle to advance into more senior roles. He said early investment in learning and experience would help young maritime workers build the competence needed to shape their careers.
Maiguwa also highlighted the role of private-sector training and mentorship in preparing young professionals, noting that Bricks Marine & Trading Limited provides a platform for graduates of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria to gain experience and develop their careers.
He said the company’s corporate social responsibility programme also supports girls’ education, with about 20 girls having participated in the initiative and approximately 16 currently in school. The programme is designed to ensure that financial difficulties do not prevent girls from completing their education, while efforts are also being made to identify mentors to guide them as they enter the workforce.
Maiguwa called for stronger collaboration between government and international shipowners to expand opportunities for Nigerian cadets to train aboard vessels. He said concerns about the treatment of ships calling at Nigerian ports could discourage foreign operators from accepting trainees, adding that government should address such concerns and develop practical incentives for participation.
He maintained that the cost of placing cadets aboard vessels was relatively small compared with the commercial value of operating large ships, arguing that government and industry stakeholders should explore mutually beneficial arrangements to increase access to sea time. He urged policymakers to draw on the experience of maritime practitioners when designing interventions for the sector.
Maiguwa said Nigeria’s maritime development would depend on the ability to connect policy with practical implementation, adding that Cabotage reform, indigenous vessel ownership, international cooperation, seafarer training and access to finance must be addressed together if the country is to realise its marine and blue economy ambitions.
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