The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) have formalised a partnership to promote the mental health and wellbeing of Nigerian seafarers and cadets through training, awareness and capacity building.
The partnership was sealed with the endorsement of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the end of a three-day Seafarers’ and Cadets’ Wellbeing Awareness and Train the Trainers Programme, organised by NIMASA in collaboration with the ITF.
The programme, themed “Stress: Understanding, Early Management and Coping,” focused on equipping maritime stakeholders with the knowledge and skills to identify, manage and address mental health challenges associated with working at sea.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, said the partnership would support capacity building and the integration of a wellbeing module into maritime training curricula.
Mobereola, who was represented by the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr Jibril Abba, said the agency planned to make seafarer wellbeing a permanent component of preparations for life at sea.
Abba, who endorsed the MoU on behalf of NIMASA, said seafarers’ wellbeing was essential to safe shipping, adding that the agency remained committed to protecting the welfare of maritime workers.
According to him, the programme would equip maritime training institutions, NIMASA officers and union partners with the skills to identify and manage stress and provide psychological first aid when necessary.
He stressed the need to address psychological challenges associated with life at sea, including stress, anxiety, depression and burnout.
Citing a 2019 study commissioned by the ITF in collaboration with Yale University, Mobereola noted that one in four seafarers surveyed showed signs of depression, while approximately one in six exhibited signs of anxiety.
Also speaking, the ITF Africa Regional Secretary, Mr Safiyanu Dauda Mohammed, who signed the MoU on behalf of the federation, described the agreement as the first of its kind between the ITF and any country in Africa.
He said Nigeria’s participation marked an important step towards prioritising the welfare of seafarers across the continent.
“It is very exciting for me because it is the first in Africa, and we are starting with Nigeria. Seafarers are very critical workers in the maritime sector. So it is very important to prioritise their wellbeing and welfare, to mitigate their anxiety and depression,” Mohammed said.
In his remarks, the President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Francis Bunu, commended the initiative, describing it as a significant development for Nigerian seafarers.
“We need seafarers to be mentally sound while doing their job, and that is why today is a very significant day for the seafarer in Nigeria,” Bunu said.
Other stakeholders at the event included the National President of the Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association, Chief Engineer Bob Joseph Yousou; ITF Wellbeing Coordinator, Dr Asif Altaf; and ITF Inspector, Mr Hamani Amadou.
The training programme underscores the need for greater attention to the mental health of seafarers, who often work under difficult conditions and spend extended periods away from their families and loved ones.
Through the partnership, NIMASA and the ITF are seeking to strengthen seafarer welfare through sustained training, institutional cooperation and improved access to mental health support.
The collaboration recognises that safeguarding the physical and psychological wellbeing of seafarers is essential to promoting safety, efficiency and professionalism in maritime operations.
