Harboursandports.com: Abuja, Nigeria - August 19, 2025: In a bold move to combat human trafficking and stowaway incidents in Nigeria’s maritime sector, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP have pledged to deepen inter-agency collaboration and sector-wide engagement.
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| The Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigerian Shippers' Council, NSC, Pius Akutah(middle); Director- General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons,NAPTIP, Hajia Binta Adamu Bello, and a Board of Trustees, BoT member, MMS WoFHoF Initiative, an NGO, during a visit to the Council in Abuja last week. |
During a courtesy visit to the NSC headquarters in Abuja, Executive Secretary/CEO of the Council, Pius Akutah, described human trafficking as a transnational organized crime that has evolved dangerously across Africa over the past decade. He emphasized the urgent need for multi-sectoral partnerships to address the growing threat, which he said accounts for over $100 million in global losses annually.
“The maritime sector is not left out of this. Stowaway has become a major means of transporting victims to other countries,” Akutah stated. “We must join hands to combat this menace, especially now that our Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola, is committed to reforming the sector.”
Akutah reaffirmed NSC’s readiness to partner with NAPTIP and its NGO ally, MMS WoFHoF Initiative, to raise awareness and strengthen enforcement. He also called on other maritime agencies, including NIMASA, to join the effort, noting their critical role in maritime safety and security.
NAPTIP Director-General, Hajia Binta Adamu Bello, described the NSC as a strategic partner in the fight against trafficking, especially as traffickers increasingly exploit maritime routes due to heightened surveillance at land borders.
“The shipping, ports, and logistics sectors can play a pivotal role in early detection, prevention, and reporting of trafficking activities,” Bello said. “We propose a collaboration targeting port workers, shipping agents, freight forwarders, and crew members to identify and report suspected trafficking cases.”
She added that NAPTIP is ready to formalize the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding or joint action plan, leveraging NSC’s outreach platforms such as the Nigerian Port Process Manual, NPPM and the Port Standing Task Team, PSTT.
The visit also featured a harrowing account from a NAPTIP official, who revealed that 79 Nigerian victims—75 of them young women—were recently rescued from Cote d’Ivoire, where they had been exploited in mining camps under inhumane conditions.
“This is why we need the Council’s support to combat trafficking by sea. It’s a national disgrace we must end,” Bello said.
Hajia Lami Tumaka, Board of Trustees member of MMS WoFHoF Initiative, cited International Maritime Organization (IMO) data showing the global shipping industry lost $8.9 million to 364 stowaway incidents between February 2020 and February 2021.
“This aligns with NSC’s role as the port economic regulator and its commitment to corporate social responsibility,” Tumaka said. “We’re requesting your endorsement for a One-Day National Policy Dialogue on combating human trafficking and stowaway incidents.”
The dialogue is scheduled for 30 October 2025 in Lagos and aims to address rising threats to maritime security and the shipping industry.
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