By Stephen Ubanna
The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, (MWUN has thrown its weight behind the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, in a bid to secure Nigeria’s return to the International Maritime Organization,IMO, Council, Category C, seat currently held by Kenya. The election is scheduled to take place between November and December 2025.
According to a source close to The Value News, MWUN leadership is leveraging on its international reach to galvanize support for NIMASA, which has previously lost the bid for the IMO seat three times to other African countries. To ensure that NIMASA, did not to lose IMO Seat again, the union is actively campaigning for Nigeria’s return
Comrade Francis Bunu, President General of MWUN, recently declared that nothing would stop NIMASA, under the leadership of Dr. Dayo Mobereola, from replacing Kenya as Africa’s representative on the IMO Council. He attributed this confidence to Nigeria’s maritime leadership and technical expertise, which can significantly contribute to global maritime governance. He argued that Nigeria is overdue for a return to the IMO Council, asserting that “a vote for Nigeria is a vote for Africa.”
He highlighted NIMASA’s achievements, particular, in combating piracy and sea robbery in the Gulf of Guinea, stating that foreign cargo laden vessels now navigate the region without fear. This security improvement has been largely due to Nigeria’s effective deployment of the Israeli- procured maritime security assets worth $195 million, under NIMASA’s coordination.
He had commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for establishing the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, which had remained focused in rallying continental support to ensure NIMASA’s victory in the upcoming IMO elections in London, United Kingdom, UK.
He had described the ministry as “a strategic and bold initiative” capable of unlocking investment and creating employment opportunities in the nation’s maritime sector. As an activist, he had praised the move as aligning with global economic trends, noting that it would support job creation, youth empowerment, and industrial harmony especially within the dock labor sub-sector of the economy.
Pledging MWUN’s continued collaboration with NIMASA, Bunu affirmed that the union would work with all stakeholders ‘’to ensure peace, progress, and sustainable growth in the nation’s maritime industry’’.
Looking ahead to the 2025 Seafarers Day, themed “Our Ocean, Our Obligation and Our Opportunity”, the MWUN, President- General, emphasized ‘’the need for sustainable ocean governance and recognized the critical role of seafarers in global trade’’.
Echoing Comrade Bunu’s sentiments, Edward Osagie, Assistant Director and NIMASA spokesperson, affirmed MWUN’s unwavering advocacy for seafarers’ rights, improved working conditions, and responsible ocean stewardship. “Nigerian seafarers deserve our gratitude for their immense contributions to global commerce,” he had said in a statement.
Comrade Bunu was said to have also applauded President BolaTinubu for the appointment of Mobereola as Director-General of NIMASA, describing as a turning point for the country’s maritime safety, praising the agency’s improved global standing in recent years.
Adegboyega Oyetola, a former governor of Osun State and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, has reportedly put structures in place to ensure Nigeria reclaims the IMO, Category C seat. His efforts are being backed by the ministry’s visible efforts in improving Nigeria’s maritime security, an achievement recognized by the international community and foreign shipping companies operating in Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea.
The minister could achieve that much in restoring sanity in Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea because the Nigerian Navy which controls16 Interception Boats, 17 Armoured Vehicles, Two Special Mission Vessels, out of the North American of the United States, US,$195 million maritime assets are effectively patrolling the Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea, forcing the pirates and sea robbers to go underground or relocate to other regions to carry out their nefarious activities.
The Nigerian Airforce which operates Two Special Mission aircrafts, three helicopters and four unmanned Aerial Vehicles, of the US$195 million maritime security assets appears to have made matters worse for the pirates and sea robbers in their surveillance of Nigerian exclusive Zone, EEZ, as they could easily be fished out from their hideouts.
In a related development, Dasuki Ibrahim Arabi, Director General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms,BPSR, has applauded NIMASA’s proactive approach to institutional reform.
Speaking at a sensitization workshop on the imperative of Organizational reform organized by the Federal Government under the Renewed Hope Agenda, in collaboration with NIMASA, in Lagos, the nation’s commercial nerve center, Arabi, had commended ‘’the agency’s leadership for its commitment to enhancing operational efficiency, transparency, and service delivery particularly through automation’’.
He had described NIMASA as one of ‘’the standout Ministries, Departments, and Agencies,MDAs, embracing transformative change, especially through the adoption of digital technologies’’. According to him, this reform-minded agenda sets a standard for other public institutions.
Arabi was said to have lauded NIMASA’s alignment with national reform objectives, specifically its integration of automation and digital tools essential for modern governance. He had said that Reform Coordination Units within MDAs, serve as key instruments for institutionalizing change, improving performance, and ensuring consistency with the national blueprint led by BPSR.
He also highlighted major national reform programs such as the Treasury Single Account, TSA, the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System PIS, and the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System, GIFMIS, describing them as key to promoting transparency and accountability in public service delivery.
According to the BPSR boss, the current focus of the is to equip government institutions with tools such as the Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) and promote stakeholder collaboration to drive continuous service delivery improvements.
The workshop, which provided a platform for NIMASA Director-General, Mobereola to speak, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to reform as a vehicle for national development. Mobereola, speaking as a maritime expert, stressed that “reform is a pathway to innovation and national advancement,” warning that “without change, we risk stagnation.”
He urged NIMASA management and staff to adopt a proactive and open mindset, emphasizing that adaptability is key to building institutional resilience and long-term success.
According to participants, who spoke to the online Magazine, the workshop was instrumental in deepening awareness of public service reform goals among NIMASA personnel, reaffirming the agency’s alignment with national priorities aimed at enhancing governance and spurring economic growth.
