Nigerian Seafarers Suffer Unemployment, Certificate Discrimination Despite Security Gains—Tantita
Capt Warredi Enisuoh
The Executive Director Operations and Technical of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Warredi Enisuoh, has said that despite recorded gains in Nigeria’s maritime security, Nigerian seafarers continue to suffer unemployment and discrimination over the non-recognition of their certificates in the global shipping market.
Enisuoh, who also warned that Nigeria is undermining its national security by failing to invest in ship ownership and maritime capacity, spoke at the 10th AMSAY Conference organised by Platform Communications with the theme “A Decade of AMSAY Conference: Eyes on the Horizon.”
Although he acknowledged that efforts by government and industry stakeholders have helped improve safety and security within Nigeria’s maritime domain, he said operators continue to grapple with financial and operational challenges that hinder business growth and fleet expansion.
He attributed the seafarer unemployment crisis largely to limited indigenous shipping capacity and insufficient international recognition of Nigerian maritime certificates, and called for more mutual certificate recognition agreements between Nigeria and leading maritime nations, noting that such arrangements would expand employment opportunities for Nigerian seafarers in the global shipping market.
Enisuoh said Nigeria lags behind other maritime nations because it lacks the ability to carry its own cargo, pointing to China as an example of a country that carries the majority of its cargo, thereby strengthening its maritime capacity and national defence.
He explained that countries with strong fleets enjoy a strategic advantage, as cargo ships can be converted into warships during conflict. “While some nations can convert their cargo ships to warships within an hour, Nigeria does not have such privileges due to lack of ship ownership,” he noted.
He questioned Nigeria’s maritime mission, stressing that clarity of purpose is essential to charting a path toward stronger national security and economic resilience.
According to him, the absence of indigenous cargo fleets leaves Nigeria vulnerable, as it has no control over the carriage of its goods. This, he said, represents a significant security risk.
Enisuoh urged policymakers to recognise the strategic importance of ship ownership and maritime infrastructure in safeguarding national interests, adding that while mistakes are human, Nigeria must act quickly to correct its course and align with global best practices in maritime security and logistics.
The security expert concluded that building indigenous shipping capacity is not just an economic necessity but a matter of national survival in an increasingly volatile global environment.
