Senior lawyer and former Director of Cabotage at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Onwuka Igwe, has explained that the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) was introduced as a strategic initiative to develop indigenous manpower and strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to effectively take over coastal shipping within the Nigeria’s maritime space.

Igwe spoke on the heels of the unveiling of his seminal book titled NIGERIAN CABOTAGE LAW AND PRACTICE scheduled for Thursday, October 29, 2026, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos. Time is 10 am. The book is published by Gwandustan Publishers Limited while the launch is supported by NIMASA.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Igwe noted that the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act of 2003 is the most important legislation in Nigeria’s maritime industry. Coming into operation in 2004, it is focused on the fast-track build-up of Nigeria’s shipping tonnage with a view to making Nigeria ultimately competitive in deep sea shipping.

Targeted at the radical development of Nigeria’s shipping trade, the law created a captive market for the country’s indigenous operators by providing that every vessel that would be deployed within Nigeria’s coastal waters for shipping trade must be built in Nigeria, crewed by Nigerians, owned by Nigerians and registered in Nigeria. The legislation thereby created a ‘Bill of Rights’ for Nigeria’s indigenous shipping businessmen. The provisions and implementation of this all-important legislation are what the author examines in ten tightly-written chapters of the book.

Igwe explained that the programme was conceived to build sufficient indigenous manpower to eventually eliminate the need for waivers granted to foreign operators in Nigeria’s coastal waters. He said the expectation was that once adequate local capacity has been developed, reliance on foreign personnel in the country’s Cabotage trade would cease.

He said the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) was conceived by NIMASA as a strategic response to the shortage of skilled indigenous manpower in the maritime sector. He noted that the programme was designed to train Nigerian seafarers across various areas of shipping and maritime trade, while addressing the growing challenge posed by an ageing seafaring workforce in the country.

Igwe disclosed that the NSDP has so far produced nearly 2,500 young Nigerians trained in various disciplines of maritime trade and shipping at leading maritime academies across the world. According to him, the beneficiaries are expected to provide the critical manpower needed to operate vessels engaged in Nigeria’s Cabotage trade, thereby strengthening indigenous participation and reducing reliance on foreign seafarers.

His words: “The Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme is a project strategically designed by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency to train seafarers in various departments of shipping and maritime trade.”

For enquiries, contact 08033039970, 07080021217, 08037162698 or email barigwe@gmail.com.

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