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•Thousands lose jobs as seafaring sub-sector bleeds $2m monthly
By Steve Agbota
Many Nigerian seafarers are facing an uncertain future following a United States visa clampdown that has severely disrupted their access to international shipping jobs and training opportunities abroad.
Consequently, industry stakeholders say the restrictive US visa regime is costing Nigeria an estimated $2 million monthly in lost foreign exchange inflows
In a clearer analysis, they said the restrictions, which have limited access to the crucial C1D visa, have led to widespread job losses in the Nigerian maritime sector, with thousands of seafarers currently losing their jobs.
The economic implication of the US visa policy is that shipping companies are no longer giving Nigerian seafarers jobs due to the inability to acquire a multiple-entry visa, while the nation’s economy has lost over $20 million in 10 months.
Daily Sun learnt that the C1D visa, a specialised non-immigrant visa introduced in the wake of the September 11 attacks, is designed specifically for seafarers and airline crew members who require entry to the United States to join their assigned vessels or flights.
Nigerian seafarers had previously been issued this visa with a longer, multi-entry validity period, which was essential for meeting the cyclical employment needs of the international shipping industry.
However, the new policy, which restricts this visa to a shorter, single-entry period, is likely to disrupt the operations of Nigerian workers in the global maritime sector, undermining both their careers and the country’s economic standing.
As the issue is becoming unbearable, seafarers have taken their cause to social media to plead with the US government to lift the ban on the C1D visa to enable them to be gainfully employed in the US.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, a seafarer with the username: @ezechukwunyere GE pleaded with US authorities to consider lifting the embargo placed on the C1D VISA.
“Please, we Nigerian seafarers are pleading with you to lift the ban on the C1D visa. We are losing our jobs. No shipping company now wants to hire us because of the 3-month validity and single entry. Some of us are also off-hired,” he pleaded.
Daily Sun found out that in September 2025, the Nigerian seafarers petitioned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through their attorneys Peter Onucheyo, Samson Omede and David Ikoro, calling for immediate diplomatic intervention with the US government to revise this policy.
In the petition to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigerian seafarers, represented by their attorneys Peter Onucheyo, Samson Omede and David Ikoro, have called for immediate diplomatic intervention with the US government to revise this policy.
In the petition, they argued that the new visa restrictions, which limit the C1D visa to a three-month single-entry validity period, threaten the livelihoods of over 250 Nigerian seafarers who depend on the visa to join international vessels, particularly those travelling to and from US ports.
According to the petition, the inability to join ships in the US will lead to job loss for many of our clients who require the C1D visa, disrupting their careers and livelihoods, and leaving countless dependents without hope and a means of survival,” the petition reads.
The nation’s seafarers working on international vessels earn foreign currency, which directly contributes to the country’s foreign exchange reserves. However, with fewer job opportunities available due to the new visa restrictions, they argued that the country’s foreign exchange earnings stand to take a severe hit,” the petition stated.
However, Daily Sun observed that a key highlight of the petition was its emphasis on the unique profile of Nigerian seafarers holding C1/D visas, particularly their strong record of compliance with US immigration regulations. The petition noted that Nigerian seafarers employed on international cruise ships have consistently returned home upon completion of their contracts, demonstrating a high level of adherence to visa conditions and posing minimal risk of overstaying in the United States.
“Nigerian seafarers working on cruise ships with C1D visas have a track record of compliance, returning home after completing their contracts. They do not pose a risk of overstaying their visas,” the petition highlighted.
“Moreover, these workers undergo rigorous employment screening, which includes thorough background checks, police verification, and security clearances, as part of their employment process with shipping companies. This ensures that they meet the highest standards of integrity and security,” it added.
Speaking with Daily Sun, Gbenga Leke Oyewole, a maritime security expert and former Senior Special Assistant on Maritime Services to ex-President Goodluck, said that there are things that the government can do to address the situation.
“If you look at it critically, seafarers are now in short supply globally, not only in Nigeria or in Africa, but seafarers are in short supply globally. The Philippines has applied itself to it, and that’s why there are so many or many of the vessels in the water.
He added that if the government makes a special case for the seafarers or if even an individual if they go to the American embassy and they can lay out the need that they should give them the visa, they will give them as long as it is not on frivolous grounds.
“If government go to the embassy, they will give to them even American embassy will know that seafarers are in short supply even in the US, so it is not as if they want only Nigerians they can have Filipinos they can have other people from other countries but the more options they have, the better but as government of Nigeria can also make special case for them but I’m sure a lot of things can be done around it,” he said.
One of the seafarers, Nicolas Okeh, pleaded with the Federal Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to exercise diplomatic action to address the situation.
“A lot of us have been affected by the C1D visa policy, and now, no shipping company wants to engage us because we cannot get a multiple-entry visa to the US. We are begging the US authorities to rescind this policy and look at our good records. Nigerian seafarers are well-trained, and we are competing favourably with our Filipino counterparts and others.
“Nigerian seafarers working on cruise ships with C1D visas have a track record of compliance, returning home after completing their contracts. They do not pose a risk of overstaying their visas. Moreover, these workers undergo rigorous employment screening, which includes thorough background checks, police verification, and security clearances, as part of their employment process with shipping companies.
This ensures that they meet the highest standards of integrity and security.
“The Nigerian Government should exploit the same diplomatic success recorded by the Zimbabwean Government for their seafarers some time ago, where the US government reinstated the two-year multiple-entry C1D visa. We pleaded that the similar consideration should be extended and granted to Nigerian seafarers, who face the same challenges and requirements,” he stated.
Meanwhile, a seafarer, named withheld, submitted his petition on “Change.org,” a platform where people sign petitions to demand a change, said: “I am writing this petition because of a pressing issue affecting countless Nigerian seafarers and airline workers, including myself. Our livelihoods have been significantly impacted by the current restrictions on the C1D visa, which was once a vital lifeline for our professions.
“Historically, the C1D visa allowed us, as Nigerian nationals, to work seamlessly within the maritime and aviation industries. However, recent changes have severely restricted our ability to obtain this visa, and sometimes it is issued with just a three-month validity, making it nearly impossible for us to secure or maintain stable employment with international companies.
“As a result, many shipping companies and aviation firms have ceased hiring Nigerian personnel, despite our skills and willingness to work. This limitation not only affects our personal livelihoods but also has broader implications for the industries that depend on our skilled and dedicated workforce,” the seafarer said.
The seafarer also said that the maritime and aviation sectors are vital to global commerce and travel, adding that Nigerian seafarers and airline workers play a critical role in these industries, contributing significantly to their success.
By restoring the C1D visa, he said, seafarers can continue to support these sectors, ensuring efficient operations and reducing personnel shortages while urging the U.S. government, particularly the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State, to reevaluate the current restrictions on the C1D visa for Nigerian nationals.
According to the seafarer, it is crucial to recognise the impact these restrictions have on real people and their families, who rely on these jobs for their sustenance and well-being.
“In the spirit of international cooperation and fair employment practices, we ask for the restoration of the C1/D visa to its former status for Nigerian seafarers and airline workers. By doing so, we can restore hope and dignity to a profession that has long supported global connectivity and trade.
“Please join me in signing this petition to advocate for the countless Nigerian seafarers and airline workers whose livelihoods are at stake. Your signature can make a difference and bring much-needed change to this critical issue. Let us stand together to urge the U.S. government to take action,” the seafarer added.
