Experts: Africa losing ground in global shipping over seafarer skills gap

By Monireoluwa Lucas

Africa risks losing further ground in the global shipping industry as a shortage of internationally certified seafarers and maritime professionals continues to limit the continent’s ability to compete in an increasingly technology-driven sector.

The Manager of Training and Maritime Centre of Excellence (MCOE) at Nigerian Maritime Services Limited (NSML), Dr Effiong Ekanem-Attah, raised the concern at the 2026 Maritime Training Institute organised by the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) in Lagos.

Ekanem-Attah, who represented the Managing Director of NSML, Abdulkadir Kere Ahmed, said the global maritime industry was becoming increasingly regulated, technology-driven and dependent on skilled professionals capable of operating under international standards.

Speaking on the theme: “The Power of Innovation in a Future-Ready Maritime Training Agenda,”  he said digitalisation, decarbonisation, automation and stricter safety requirements were reshaping shipping and increasing demand for competent maritime professionals.

He said that despite Africa’s strategic maritime location and extensive coastline, the continent had struggled to produce sufficient internationally certified seafarers to meet the demands of the global maritime labour market.

According to him, limited access to quality maritime training, inadequate simulator facilities, accreditation challenges and insufficient opportunities for practical sea-time were among factors responsible for the skills gap.

The situation, he said, had compelled many shipping companies operating in Africa to rely heavily on expatriates for critical technical and operational positions.

“Consequently, many shipping companies operating in and out of Africa have relied heavily on expatriate personnel for critical technical and operational roles,” he said.

Ekanem-Attah said closing the gap would require an integrated maritime manpower development system combining education, professional certification, practical sea-time, mentorship, technology, research and industry collaboration.

He said the NSML Maritime Centre of Excellence on Bonny Island, Rivers State, was established as part of efforts to address longstanding maritime manpower challenges.

According to him, the centre combines maritime training, simulator-based learning, sea-time development, professional certification support, research, consultancy and industry partnerships.

Ekanem-Attah said the centre had secured international accreditations, including ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System, DNV standards for maritime simulator and training centres, United Kingdom Maritime and Coastguard Agency accreditation for six courses, Nautical Institute accreditation for Dynamic Positioning programmes, as well as accreditations from Marshall Islands, Bermuda and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

He said the accreditations would enable Nigerian and other African maritime professionals to obtain globally recognised qualifications locally instead of travelling abroad for specialist training.

The centre, he added, had invested in advanced facilities, including bridge and engine-room simulators and Dynamic Positioning systems, enabling trainees to simulate operational situations, emergency procedures and other risk-sensitive scenarios.

On the challenge of sea-time, Ekanem-Attah said NSML’s Seafarers Continuous Development Programme had provided opportunities for young professionals seeking to meet certification requirements.

He said 272 cadets had completed sea-time training through the programme, while another 54 were either in college or onboard vessels progressing towards professional certification.

“As of August 2026, NSML employs over 700 seafarers and remains the largest employer of qualified Nigerian seafarers,” he said.

Also speaking, the Lagos Port Complex Manager of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr Adebowale Lawal, who represented the Managing Director, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, said technology alone could not transform the maritime sector without adequate human capital.

Lawal said digitalisation, artificial intelligence, automation, robotics and data-driven logistics were changing global port and shipping operations.

He said the NPA had deployed technology to improve efficiency, transparency, safety and service delivery, citing the Electronic Call-Up System, Electronic Access Control, digital revenue systems, vessel management platforms and the ongoing development of the Port Community System.

According to him, the Authority was also aligning its processes with the National Single Window to promote greater integration and electronic exchange of information among maritime stakeholders.

“These initiatives demonstrate that the future of our ports will depend increasingly on people who understand and can effectively deploy technology,” he said.

Lawal said maritime training institutions must produce professionals who were technically competent, innovative, adaptable and digitally literate, as the industry moves towards smart ports, autonomous and connected ships, cybersecurity systems, green shipping technologies and data-driven decision-making.

He urged greater collaboration among government, industry and training institutions to develop the manpower required to make Nigeria’s maritime sector globally competitive.

“Let us remember that innovation is not only about machines and technology; it is about people, ideas and the courage to do things better,” he said.

Lawal added that sustained investment in skills development would help Nigeria build a workforce capable of driving safer, smarter, greener and more efficient maritime and port operations.