Maritime stakeholders have raised concerns over Nigeria’s inability to build ships locally, citing a lack of raw materials, inadequate infrastructure, and a shortage of technical expertise.
Ladi Olubowale, President of the African Shipowners Association (Nigeria), stated in an interview that the country lacks the industrial capacity and skilled workforce necessary for ship construction.
According to him, Nigeria currently has no shipyard capable of executing large-scale shipbuilding projects, despite being one of Africa’s largest economies. Experts attribute the problem to decades of underinvestment in core industrial infrastructure, including dry docks, shipyards, and steel production facilities.
They warned that without urgent intervention and investment in maritime technology and workforce development, Nigeria will remain dependent on foreign-built vessels, thereby losing potential economic and employment opportunities.