Former Nigerian Chapter President of the African Shipowners Association, Captain Ladi Olubowale, has described Nigerian seafarers as more than just participants in the maritime industry, stressing that they are strategic national assets whose skills and expertise are critical to economic growth, international trade, energy security, national development, and the achievement of Nigeria’s maritime aspirations.
Olubowale made this known in a document obtained by The PUNCH over the weekend ahead of the 2026 Day of the Seafarer, scheduled for 25 June and themed, “Carrying World Trade. Carrying the Risks.”
Every year on 25 June, the global maritime community comes together to celebrate the Day of the Seafarer, an initiative of the International Maritime Organisation dedicated to recognising the extraordinary contribution of seafarers to global trade, economic development, and the functioning of modern society.
Speaking further, Olubowale explained that this year’s theme is both timely and profound, stressing that it acknowledges a reality that is often overlooked: “while seafarers are responsible for moving the world’s trade, they also bear enormous risks and sacrifices in the process. They endure long periods away from their families, physical and mental strain, operational hazards, security threats, uncertainty, fatigue, and the immense responsibility of ensuring that global supply chains remain uninterrupted.”
