Aftermath of protest: NIMASA and cadets meet for dialogue

By Enyeribe Anyanwu

Following a peaceful protest by Nigerian maritime cadets last Thursday at the headquarters of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), there has been a dialogue between the agency and the students.

The placards-carrying students had protested over lack of sea-time training, poor cadet welfare and general disregard for maritime students in Nigeria.

Chanting solidarity songs and waving placards with inscriptions such as “Train Cadet Locally and Improve the Maritime University”, “We Lack Sea Time Experience”, “Enough is Enough, We need Jobs for Maritime Graduates” and others, the protesting students lamented the lack of sea time training and job placements, which they described as a major hindrance to pursuing careers in seafaring.

The aggrieved cadets, drawn from different maritime institutions across the country, expressed deep frustration over the neglect they’ve faced after graduation, citing how many have remained idle despite completing their academic requirements. They specifically demanded an end to overseas training of Nigerian cadets.

News Dissect learnt that during the protest, NIMASA officials invited the angry students who were there under the auspices of National Association of Nigerian Maritime Students (NANMS) for a dialogue.

The NANMS President, Comr Omotayo Temitope, alongside two representatives from the South-South zone, sat with the Executive Director of Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Jubril Abba, and other departmental heads at NIMASA.

In the meeting, the protesting cadets bared their minds on the pressing challenges faced by maritime students. They named lack of sea-time training and cadetship opportunities, which NIMASA acknowledged and informed the students that a law was being enacted to mandate every vessel operating in Nigerian waters to accept at least two cadets on board.

“We were assured that this initiative would be fully implemented before the end of the year, with compliance from all ship owners,” Temitope said later.

The cadets also pressed for the funding of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) to be transferred to local maritime training institutions.  Responding to this demand, NIMASA advised that school managements should formally request for training vessels and necessary equipment, which the agency would consider in its strategic development plans.

On the delays in issuance of mandatory certifications, the agency revealed that there is a technical glitch with their systems, but assured that this would be resolved within two weeks.

“The agency expressed its commitment to improving welfare standards and shared that an MOU has been signed with 16 countries to enable global recognition of Nigerian maritime certifications, thereby opening more international opportunities for Nigerian cadets and seafarers,” said Temitope.

The students further advocated for scholarship programmes, recognition of top-performing students, and sustainable job opportunities beyond ceremonial acknowledgments. The agency received these suggestions positively and promised to review and incorporate them into future programs.

In a statement after the meeting, the NANMS President said, “We appreciate the willingness of NIMASA to engage in constructive dialogue and their commitments to resolving these issues. However, NANMS will continue to monitor the implementation of these resolutions closely and ensure that promises made are fulfilled.”