The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has reiterated its commitment to human capital development, welfare of seafarers and the early establishment of a national carrier to replace the defunct Nigeria National Shipping Line (NNSL).

This is contained in the current edition of The Voyage, a special publication NIMASA. A story on the issue said: "As we look back at the various achievements, we cannot also help but plot the agenda for the future of the maritime sector. Our commitment to human capital development in the sector is absolute, and the agency is resolute in the pursuit of this task. The frontiers of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) will be broadened; and the legacy will transcend our local shores into the annals of maritime history, as we work towards becoming a maritime labour supply country in the not-too-distant future.”

The story noted that Nigeria, with its abundant manpower, should take a cue from tiny Philippines, which supplies 28 per cent of the world’s seafarers, making it a substantial foreign exchange earner. “Imagine how far such a huge amount of money will go in our economy, even if 15 per cent,” he noted adding that it will go a long way in reducing the rate of unemployment.

Lamenting the demise of the NNSL and attendant absence of Nigeria’s flag on global waters, the story condemned a situation where some Nigerians buy ships and register them overseas, fly foreign flags as well as employ foreigners to man the ships, thereby rendering indigenous seafarers jobless.

The Voyage added: “The agency is also constructing a shipyard/dockyard to develop the infrastructural capacity of Nigeria, while increasing her tonnage capacity. The shipyard and dockyard are to later to meet the ship-building and dry-docking needs of the country and other vessels that call at Nigerian ports. Modalities are also being developed for the formation of a national carrier shipping line in conjunction with private operators, so as to re-launch Nigeria’s flag into the international waters.”