Maritime Stakeholders Lament Nigeria’s Inability to Build Ships Locally

Maritime industry stakeholders have expressed deep concern over Nigeria’s persistent inability to develop a functional shipbuilding and ship repair sector despite its vast coastline, growing trade volume, and maritime potential. The stakeholders argued that the nation’s overreliance on foreign-built vessels and maintenance facilities is a major economic setback that continues to cost the country billions of dollars annually in capital flight.

The concerns were voiced during a recent maritime investment and development forum held in Lagos, where key industry figures, policymakers, and representatives of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) discussed the country’s long-standing struggle to establish a sustainable shipbuilding industry. Participants highlighted the need for urgent policy action, strategic investment, and technical capacity building to reverse the trend.

According to experts, Nigeria’s inability to build or maintain large ocean-going vessels locally is due to a combination of factors, including poor infrastructure, inadequate technical expertise, and lack of consistent government support. While countries like South Africa, Egypt, and Ghana have developed modest shipbuilding and repair facilities, Nigeria continues to rely heavily on foreign shipyards, especially in Asia and Europe, for the construction, maintenance, and repair of its maritime fleet.

President of the Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN), Dr. Mkgeorge Onyung, lamented that the situation undermines Nigeria’s sovereignty and maritime competitiveness. He explained that the country has the human capital and natural resources required to develop a shipbuilding industry but has failed to harness them due to policy inconsistencies and lack of political will. “It is regrettable that a nation with such immense maritime resources continues to depend on foreign countries for ship construction and maintenance. This has hindered our economic growth and deprived our youth of critical technical employment opportunities,” Onyung said.

He emphasized that shipbuilding is not only a commercial activity but a strategic national asset that enhances a country’s maritime independence and security. “A country that cannot build or repair its own ships cannot effectively control its maritime trade or defend its waters,” he added, calling on the government to invest in shipyards and training institutions that can support domestic vessel production.

The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, acknowledged the stakeholders’ concerns, noting that the agency is working to strengthen Nigeria’s maritime industrial base through partnerships and reforms. He stated that the newly revised National Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Strategy (NSSRS) aims to provide a comprehensive roadmap for developing shipyards and related infrastructure across the country. Mobereola assured industry players that NIMASA is committed to fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors to build a sustainable shipbuilding ecosystem.

He added that efforts are ongoing to revive dormant shipyards and encourage foreign technical partners to establish joint ventures with local investors. “We are in discussions with several international shipbuilding firms to transfer technology and invest in local capacity development,” he said. “Our goal is to ensure that within a few years, Nigeria can build and maintain its own vessels for both domestic and regional operations.”

Despite these assurances, stakeholders maintained that tangible progress has been slow. The President of the Nigerian Association of Master Mariners, Captain Tajudeen Alao, argued that the country’s shipbuilding potential has been stifled by bureaucratic bottlenecks and lack of access to funding. He noted that building a shipyard requires huge capital investment and specialized skills, but the government has not created an enabling environment for private sector participation.

He further noted that several shipyards established in the past have either shut down or operated below capacity due to poor maintenance, lack of spare parts, and inadequate technical manpower. “The maritime sector has the potential to create thousands of jobs if properly harnessed, but it has been neglected for too long. We need clear-cut policies, funding mechanisms, and technical partnerships to bring the shipbuilding dream to life,” Alao stated.

Industry observers also pointed out that the lack of shipbuilding capacity undermines Nigeria’s Cabotage Law, which was designed to promote indigenous participation in coastal shipping. Since most Nigerian shipowners rely on foreign-built and maintained vessels, compliance with the law has been weak, leading to continued dominance of foreign operators in domestic maritime trade.

Furthermore, maritime analysts warned that Nigeria’s continued dependence on foreign shipyards poses national security risks. In times of conflict or geopolitical tension, the inability to produce or repair naval and commercial vessels locally could leave the country vulnerable. They called for the inclusion of shipbuilding development as a key component of Nigeria’s industrialization strategy.

To address these challenges, stakeholders recommended the establishment of a dedicated Shipbuilding Development Fund to provide financing for local shipyards and operators. They also urged the government to integrate shipbuilding training into technical and maritime institutions to develop a new generation of skilled engineers and craftsmen.

Several participants at the Lagos forum stressed that with Nigeria’s growing offshore oil and gas operations, expanding port infrastructure, and large coastal population, the need for local shipbuilding capacity is urgent. They urged the government to adopt a public-private partnership model similar to those used successfully in countries like South Korea and Singapore.

In conclusion, the stakeholders agreed that Nigeria’s maritime future depends on its ability to build and maintain its own vessels. They called on the government to match its rhetoric with action by investing in infrastructure, technology, and human capital. With strategic planning and political commitment, they said, Nigeria could transform from a maritime consumer nation into a regional shipbuilding power—creating jobs, saving foreign exchange, and strengthening its national economy in the process.