The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, in strengthening the training and development of Nigerian seafarers for the global maritime labour market.
The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, gave the assurance during a working visit to the academy, stressing that investment in maritime human capital remained critical to Nigeria’s efforts to maximise the opportunities in the Blue Economy.
According to a statement issued by the Head of Public Relations Unit of NIMASA, Mr Edward Osagie, in Lagos on Tuesday, Mobereola said the agency would continue to support MAN Oron to ensure that its training, assessment and certification remained aligned with international standards.
The development comes at a time when Nigeria is seeking to strengthen the quality and international competitiveness of its maritime workforce, particularly seafarers who require both classroom-based instruction and practical experience at sea before attaining the required professional competence.
NIMASA is responsible for regulating seafarer training, examination and certification in Nigeria in line with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, as amended. The agency also supervises and accredits maritime training institutions to ensure that training meets prescribed international standards. (nimasa.gov.ng)
Mobereola said the objective was not merely to produce trained cadets but to develop Nigerian seafarers capable of competing effectively with their counterparts in the international maritime labour market.
He stressed that the quality of Nigeria’s maritime manpower would have a direct bearing on the country’s ability to derive sustainable economic benefits from shipping, ship operations and other activities associated with the Blue Economy.
The emphasis on practical competence is particularly important because maritime education does not end with classroom instruction. NIMASA states that seafarer qualification involves a combination of education, training and mandatory sea-going experience before the required competencies can be demonstrated. (nimasa.gov.ng)
This makes access to sea-time one of the critical stages in the development of Nigerian cadets, as practical experience onboard vessels provides an important bridge between shore-based training and professional certification.
The agency has, in recent years, placed greater emphasis on addressing the sea-time component of seafarer development. NIMASA reported in its 2025 review that attention to sea-time for beneficiaries of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) was yielding progress, with the backlog being addressed. (nimasa.gov.ng)
At MAN Oron, the Chairman of the Governing Board, Mr Kehinde Akinola, said the academy had developed a five-year development plan aimed at consolidating its position as a leading maritime training institution.
A major component of the plan, he disclosed, is the acquisition of a training vessel to provide cadets with more opportunities for practical onboard experience.
The proposed training vessel could help address one of the longstanding challenges confronting maritime education globally — providing cadets with adequate opportunities to translate theoretical knowledge into practical shipboard experience.
Akinola also disclosed that the Liberian Maritime Administration and a Liberian maritime training institute had expressed interest in collaborating with MAN Oron to create additional sea-time opportunities for Nigerian cadets aboard Liberian-flagged vessels.
The proposed arrangement could broaden the opportunities available to Nigerian cadets beyond the domestic market and expose them to international shipboard operations and standards.
It is also consistent with MAN Oron’s recent efforts to establish international partnerships. The academy’s records show that it has been pursuing collaboration with the Liberia Maritime Authority and has also sponsored cadets for onboard sea-time training. (maritimeacademy.gov.ng)
The Liberian connection could therefore become an important component of the academy’s efforts to improve the practical training pipeline and strengthen the international exposure of its graduates.
Nigeria’s maritime sector has considerable demand for skilled manpower, but producing employable seafarers requires more than expanding enrolment in maritime institutions. The training must translate into internationally recognised qualifications, adequate sea-time and eventual access to employment opportunities onboard vessels.
NIMASA’s regulatory framework has also been undergoing changes aimed at strengthening the quality and international recognition of Nigerian seafarer qualifications.
In August 2026, the agency announced revised standards covering seafarer education, training, assessment, examination, certification, revalidation and medical fitness. The new framework incorporates updated curricula for Nautical Science and Marine Engineering Technology and places greater emphasis on approved academic programmes and qualifying sea service for candidates seeking operational and management-level Certificates of Competency. (nimasa.gov.ng)
The changes underline the growing importance of institutions such as MAN Oron in Nigeria’s maritime development strategy.
The academy is already listed by NIMASA among approved maritime training institutions offering STCW-approved courses, including safety, survival, firefighting, security and navigational-watch training. (nimasa.gov.ng)
Against this background, Mobereola’s commitment to continued support for MAN Oron extends beyond institutional assistance. It is part of the broader effort to build a maritime workforce capable of supporting Nigeria’s ambitions in shipping, offshore operations, marine services and the wider Blue Economy.
Akinola, while appreciating NIMASA’s support, said the academy remained committed to implementing its five-year development plan and improving the quality of training available to cadets.
The proposed acquisition of a training vessel and the planned collaboration with Liberian maritime institutions could, if successfully implemented, provide additional avenues for cadets to obtain the practical experience required for professional advancement.
For Nigeria, the significance goes beyond the fortunes of one maritime institution. A stronger seafarer-development system could increase the country’s participation in the international maritime labour market, improve the availability of skilled manpower for indigenous shipping operators and reduce dependence on foreign maritime personnel.
It could also support the Federal Government’s broader Blue Economy policy, under which maritime transport, shipping, fisheries, offshore activities and related services are expected to contribute more substantially to economic growth and employment.
The immediate challenge, however, will be to ensure that investment in facilities is matched by sustained access to sea-time, effective regulation, quality instructors, modern training equipment and credible employment pathways for graduates.
With NIMASA maintaining its regulatory and supervisory role and MAN Oron implementing its five-year development plan, the emerging partnership with Liberia could provide another pathway for Nigerian cadets to obtain the practical exposure required to compete in an increasingly international maritime labour market.
The focus, therefore, is shifting from simply producing maritime graduates to ensuring that Nigerian seafarers possess the qualifications, practical experience and professional competence required to secure opportunities both within Nigeria and beyond its waters.
