By Onilede Titi Faith
The Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), is lobbying 25 member states to back Nigeria’s bid for a Category C seat on the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Council.
Speaking at the Regional Ferry Safety Conference in Lagos, MOWCA Secretary-General Dr. Paul Adalikwu said the campaign aims to secure a “bulk vote” ahead of the 34th IMO Assembly in November–December 2025.
Nigeria last held the seat in 2011 and has lost four consecutive bids since.
Adalikwu stressed that Nigeria’s return to the council would reflect its commitment to equity and climate-resilient maritime development.
The push also comes amid rising concerns over ferry safety in the region, with over 8,000 deaths recorded in the past decade, particularly in Nigeria, Senegal, and the DRC.
