Dockworkers Day: Stakeholders Celebrate Dockworkers, As NIMASA Expresses Commitment towards Safety, Welfare

Dockworkers Day: Stakeholders Celebrate Dockworkers, As NIMASA Expresses Commitment towards their Safety, Welfare

Dr Dayo Mobereola, DG, NIMASA

This year’s 2025 Maritime Dockworker’s Day Celebration was highly symbolic as virtually all relevant stakeholders were present in solidarity with the dockworkers, an essential component of the Port community.

Participants

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency,(NIMASA), the anchor of Nigeria’s Dockworker’s affairs has at this year’s occasion restated renewed commitment at improving the  working conditions, promoting safety practices, and increasing opportunities for training and career development for all dockworkers in the country.

This recommitted promises was disclosed by the Director General of the agency, Dr. Dayo Mobereola as contained in his welcome Address, during the 2025 Dockworkers  Day, organized for the Dockworkers by the Agency Federal Palace Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 which came with the theme: Safer Ports, Safer Ship.

The DG stated that NIMASA as an organization saddled with the mandate to cater for the Nigerian dockworkers shall continue to discharge its responsibilities in strong collaboration with the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and other industry stakeholders. 

Furthermore, he said, NIMASA, as maritime government agency will continue to partner with other relevant stakeholders to foster a culture where safety is valued, respected and maintained because of the importance of the dockworkers in the scheme of things.

Mobereola in his address delivered by delivered on his behalf by the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr Jibril Abba, however  recognized and highlighted the  contributions, sacrifices, and roles of the dockworkers as key enablers of of the nation’s maritime and economic growth, while urging all the relevant stakeholders  to collaborate with  NIMASA towards ensuring  safer ships, safer ports, and a more resilient maritime industry.

The DG, NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola (4th left), the ED, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Jibril Aba (1st left), President General, MWUN, Comrade Francis Bunu (6th left) and representatives of other stakeholders at the 2025 Dockworkers Day organised by NIMASA in LAGOS on November 11, 2025.

According to the DG, dockworkers serve as the cornerstone of port operations and are an essential component of the national economy, noting that each ship that docks, every cargo that is transferred, and every tonne of goods that enters or exits the country is a testament to the dock workers strength, skill, and dedication.

He said that the resilience of the dockworkers have persistently sustains maritime commerce and significantly contributes to Nigeria’s economic development, stating that the theme for this year’s celebration, “Safe Ship, Safe Ports,” is a reminder that port safety, ship safety, and workers protection are interconnected adding that it would be difficult to achieve safe and efficient maritime operations without securing the safety, dignity, and well-being of the dock-worker.

Meanwhile, in his Keynote Address at the event, the Hon. Minister of Marine and Blue economy, Adegboyega Oyetola who was ably represented by the NIMASA DG, Dr Dayo Mobereola, said the Dockworkers Day is organized to  honour the dockworkers, men and women whose work is at the very core of Nigeria’s maritime economy. He commended and thanked the trio maritime agencies including NIMASA, NPA and the NSC that are at the forefront maintaining the Dockworkers Day, which he described as an essential platform of recognition and dialogue.

The Minister however stated that in the maritime industry, safety underpins operational efficiency, economic stability, and international confidence, adding that a safe port,   guarantees that every ship calling at Nigeria’s shores does so confidently, noting that the Day is a reminder that  dockworkers are vital to creating a maritime industry where safety is assured and productivity increases.

In his words, “As dockworkers, you are the first link in the trade chain that fuels our economy and turns the potential of the blue economy into real national growth. We recognise that your work is demanding and often hazardous, as it requires not only strength and skill but also proper training, protection, and institutional support, given the presence of heavy equipment, unpredictable weather, and time-critical tasks”.

The minister also said that it is the reason the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy is taking deliberate steps to improving working conditions across port operations, adding that earlier this year, the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy was approved while the policy emphasises workers’ welfare and port safety, strengthens regulation, enhances compliance and prioritises and risks mitigation measures.

Oyetola further said that the blue economy offers a tremendous opportunity for Nigeria, adding that its success relies on people, particularly the dockworkers, an added reason he stated made the Federal Government and all stakeholders to ensure that the   environment in which they work is safe, dignified and efficient.

In his own address, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Alhaji Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, who was as well represented, said the dockworkers are very important to the development of the economy and international trade by the nature of their work, while the National President of the National Association of Stevedoring   Companies(NASC), Bolaji Sunmonu congratulated the dockworkers on their special Day   but advocated for the review of the stevedoring law in Nigeria .

On his part, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, while giving his speech through a representative at the event, firstly congratulated the dockworkers for their contributions to the development of the maritime sector and the economy, as he pledged that NPA would continue to provide a safer environment for the dockworkers to do their work.

Dr Pius Akuyima Akutah, the Executive Secretary/CEO of Nigerian Shippers Council, also through his representative commended the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy , Chief Adegboyega Oyetola, as well as NIMASA for their efforts at attending to the needs of the dockworkers, noting that as an Economic Regulator of the Port sector, the Council considers dockworkers as sung heroes and not unsung ones, as widely believed.

Meanwhile, the President General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Francis Bunu Abi while giving his speech called for an improved welfare for the dockworkers and the enforcement of the seafarers regulations among other demands.