Nigerian seafarers have called for urgent reforms in the country’s maritime sector.

This is even as these seafarers lamented the persistent harassment, poor welfare conditions, and the lack of structured support systems on board vessels operating in the country.

The concerns came to the fore during the 2025 Day of the Seafarers event in Lagos, organised by the National Seafarers’ Welfare Board of Nigeria in collaboration with the Mission to Seafarers.

In his keynote presentation at the event themed ‘My harassment-free ship’, which was held last week in Lagos, the Managing Partner of the Maritime and Commercial Law Chambers, Osuala Emmanuel Nwagbara, said it’s time to move beyond policy rhetoric to “actual enforcement of anti-harassment frameworks, risk assessments, and confidential reporting mechanisms on all Nigerian-flagged ships.”

Nwagbara noted that the unchecked rise in shipboard abuse, from verbal intimidation to discriminatory practices, has far-reaching implications, not just for seafarers’ mental health but also for operational efficiency and safety at sea.

“A toxic shipboard environment does not just hurt individuals; it weakens team cohesion, undermines safety protocols, and reduces productivity. In the end, it is not only the seafarer who suffers, but the shipowner and the national economy also bear the brunt,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, Secretary General of the African Shipowners’ Association and Lagos Secretary of the Mission to Seafarers, Funmi Folorunso, applauded the resilience of the Nigerian seafarers, especially women navigating a male-dominated field.

She emphasised that meaningful change would require not just legal instruments but institutional courage to enforce protections where they are most needed.

On his part, a class surveyor, Alalade Matthew, offered insights on the challenges faced by female seafarers in Nigeria.

He acknowledged the relative progress made by Nigerian shipowners in providing opportunities for women at sea but stressed the need for boundaries, teamwork, and mutual respect onboard.

Chaplain of the Mission to Seafarers, Rev. Francis Aduroja, commended the decision to hold the event in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial maritime hub, despite the national observance that took place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He urged greater unity within the maritime community and encouraged industry leaders to give seamen more platforms to speak freely without fear of victimisation.