Shipping agencies under the aegis of Shipping Agencies, Clearing, and Forwarding Employers Association (SACFEA) have approved a minimum wage of N200,000 for their employees, a move described as a significant improvement in the industry’s compensation package.
The agreement was signed between SACFEA and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, with the support of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
This development comes after 20 years of struggle by the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria.
According to SACFEA President, Mrs. Boma Alabi (SAN), “The new minimum conditions of service for workers under shipping places would be the highest in any industry across the nation.”
She noted that while the workers were asking for N160,000, the employers went above and beyond to do N200,000, “because they understand the situation in the country and want to ensure that everyone is happy. We don’t just want the workers to live, but to work and save for their future.”
The Minister for Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, admonished the workers at shipping agencies to increase their level of productivity and efficiency as a reward for the improved conditions agreed by their employers.
“I enjoin the labor unions to remain steadfast and vibrant in advocating for the rights of workers by ensuring compliance with the agreed standards,” Oyetola stated.
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