The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has formalised its partnership with the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) through the endorsement of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at promoting the mental health and wellbeing of Nigerian seafarers and cadets through training, awareness and capacity building.
The agreement was the highlight of a three-day Seafarers’ and Cadets’ Wellbeing Awareness and Train the Trainers Programme, themed *“Stress: Understanding, Early Management and Coping,”* organised by NIMASA in collaboration with the ITF.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, said the partnership would support capacity building and the integration of wellbeing modules into maritime training curricula, with plans to make seafarer wellbeing a permanent component of preparations for life at sea.
Represented by the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr Jibril Abba, who also endorsed the MoU on behalf of NIMASA, Mobereola said seafarers’ wellbeing was essential to safe shipping and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting maritime workers’ welfare.
He added that the programme would equip maritime training institutions, agency officers and union partners with the skills to identify and manage stress and provide psychological first aid when necessary.
The NIMASA Director-General also emphasised 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, he 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, disclosed that the agreement was the first of its kind the ITF had entered into with any country in Africa.
He described the development as significant, noting that Nigeria was the first African country to establish such an arrangement with the federation.
According to him, seafarers are critical workers in the maritime sector, making it important to prioritise their wellbeing and welfare to help mitigate anxiety and depression.
In his remarks, the President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Francis Bunu, applauded the initiative, describing it as a significant development for Nigerian seafarers.
Bunu stressed the importance of ensuring that seafarers remained mentally fit while carrying out their duties.
Also present at the event were the National President of the Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association, Chief Engr Bob Joseph Yousou; ITF Wellbeing Coordinator, Dr Asif Altaf; and ITF Inspector, Mr Hamani Amadou, among other stakeholders.
The training programme highlights the growing need to prioritise the physical and mental health of seafarers, who work under challenging conditions and endure extended periods away from their families and loved ones.
According to a statement signed by Osagie Edward, FNIPR, Deputy Director and Head of Public Relations at NIMASA, dated October 26, 2026, the collaboration reinforces the agency and ITF’s commitment to strengthening seafarer welfare through sustained training, institutional cooperation and improved mental health support, recognising that a healthy seafarer is a safe seafarer.
