The Shipping Association of Nigeria has disclosed that Nigerian ports recorded more than 2,300 stowaway cases every year, reflecting a persistent maritime security challenge with international implications.
The association said shipping lines are required to pay a mandatory fee of $2,000 for every repatriated individual linked to stowaway cases, with payments made through the Nigerian Immigration Service under Nigeria’s existing maritime regulatory structure.
Shipping Association of Nigeria Chairman Boma Alabi said stowaway cases have become uniquely associated with Nigerian ports, creating reputational risks for the country’s maritime logistics profile within global shipping corridors.
She explained that neighbouring West African ports, including those in Ghana, Togo, and the Benin Republic, do not experience stowaway cases at comparable levels, suggesting that persistent inefficiencies within Nigerian port operations may be driving the trend.
Alabi told maritime journalists in Lagos that two to three individuals attempting to hide on vessels are apprehended per ship each week, indicating a systematic pattern rather than isolated stowaway cases.
She said an average of fifteen vessels call Nigerian ports weekly, meaning that multiplying three weekly arrests across fifty-two weeks and fifteen vessels results in an estimated 2,340 stowaway cases annually.
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She emphasised that the financial cost to shipping lines is significant, as each repatriated individual linked to stowaway cases attracts the $2,000 penalty, creating additional operational burdens on carriers.
Alabi, who also serves as president of the Shipping Agencies Clearing and Forwarding Employers Association, described stowaway cases as a long-running problem in Nigeria’s maritime domain that continues to undermine safety and operational stability.
She noted that despite payments made to certain government agencies for vessel protection and port-area security, stowaway cases remain prevalent, raising concerns about accountability and service delivery.
She added that these fees are often charged in United States dollars, contributing to the dollarisation of local port operations without proportional improvements in maritime security outcomes or a reduction in stowaway cases.
Alabi warned that stowaway attempts pose severe risks to human life, noting that many individuals involved in stowaway cases face life-threatening conditions during their attempts to illegally board vessels.
She said that inadequate public awareness, economic pressures, and weak port-area surveillance contribute to the proliferation of stowaway cases, highlighting the need for coordinated responses across multiple agencies.
She stressed that Nigerian authorities must strengthen enforcement, tighten access control around vessel,s and enhance inter-agency coordination to curb stowaway cases and improve Nigeria’s international maritime reputation.
