The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has announced that its newly launched Maritime Labour E-Platform fully aligns with the country’s obligations under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 and will significantly enhance labour governance, worker protections, and the sector’s global competitiveness.
In a statement issued over the weekend, Mr. Osagie Edward, Deputy Director and Head of Public Relations, said the digital platform strengthens Nigeria’s compliance with the MLC, widely regarded as the “Seafarers’ Bill of Rights”, which guarantees fair working conditions, health safeguards, and social security for maritime workers.
Mr. Edward added that NIMASA has begun sensitising users through a hands-on workshop held in Lagos, during which participants were guided through the processes of registration, verification, and biometric identity card issuance for seafarers and dockworkers on the new portal.
“Practical support measures, including training, cybersecurity, and a phased rollout strategy to ensure smooth adoption, were also discussed,” he said.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Jibril Abba, said the platform is central to NIMASA’s efforts to strengthen labour standards and deepen digital governance. He was represented by the Director of the Maritime Labour Services Department, Mr. Ibrahim Sidi.
“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 said.
Mr. Abba explained that the system fulfils the agency’s statutory duty to maintain an updated register of all maritime workers and operators.
“This initiative directly fulfils our mandate under Section 27(1)(a) of the NIMASA Act 2007, which requires us to document and maintain a register of all maritime workers and operators. It also aligns with our obligations under the MLC 2006 to promote fair working conditions, health protections, and social security,” he stated.
He added that centralising registration and issuing secure biometric identity cards would eliminate paperwork, accelerate verification processes, and ensure real-time data availability — improvements that reinforce Nigeria’s compliance with MLC standards while enhancing the competitiveness of the country’s Blue Economy.
The Federal Government formally unveiled the platform in June during the 2025 Day of the Seafarer ceremony in Port Harcourt. At the launch, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, described the platform as “a transformative tool for labour administration”, noting that it is designed to deliver a smarter, more transparent, and efficient maritime sector.
