Shipping firms report 2,300 Stowaway incidents in 2025, immigration disputes figures
The Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN) has raised alarm over rising stowaway cases at Nigerian ports, claiming vessels recorded about 2,300 security infractions in 2025. The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), however, has rejected the figures, insisting the numbers are exaggerated.
Speaking to journalists in Lagos, SAN chairman, Boma Alabi, SAN, expressed concern that despite payments made to government security agencies to protect vessels at berth, unauthorized individuals still gain access to ships. She disclosed that about 15 foreign shipping companies currently operate in Nigeria, with each recording two to three stowaway attempts weekly.
According to Alabi, shipping companies continue to pay sanctions and repatriation costs for stowaways despite not being responsible for portside breaches.
“Stowaway is another major issue shipping companies are grappling with. The policy for sanctioning shipping companies has to change because they are not at fault,” she said.
“We have two or three stowaways every week, and about 15 shipping companies are operating in Nigeria. Each arrested stowaway attracts a $2,000 sanction. Immigration collects the sanctions for stowaways, yet we still pay government agencies in dollars for vessel protection.”
She added that inefficiencies among agencies at Nigerian ports contribute to the ongoing problem.
Reacting to the claims, Ikechukwu Igunna, a Port Security Officer with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), questioned the accuracy of SAN’s figures. He noted that Apapa Port alone had recorded only about 10 stowaway cases this year and advised stakeholders to rely on verified data from the International Maritime Bureau.
Similarly, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr. Akinola Akinlabi, dismissed the association’s figures, stating that “what we have is not near that number.”
The debate adds to ongoing discussions surrounding port security, enforcement efficiency, and financial obligations imposed on maritime operators in Nigeria.
