Maritime
Blue Economy: MAN Oron aligns stakeholders for community-led growth
The Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron, has unveiled community-focused investments, policy alignment efforts, and stakeholder partnerships aimed at deepening industry capacity and local economic integration.
At its First Quarter 2026 Citizens and Stakeholders’ Engagement in Oron, the Academy positioned community collaboration, infrastructure development, and private sector alignment as critical levers for translating national blue economy policies into measurable economic outcomes.
The engagement, with the theme “Leveraging Community Partnership for Effective Implementation of the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy,” brought together regulators, industry leaders, and host community representatives, highlighting a coordinated push to align maritime training, grassroots development, and investment flows.
Welcoming stakeholders, the Acting Rector, Dr. Kevin Okonna, described the quarterly engagement framework as a performance-driven mechanism for bridging policy and execution.
“It is pertinent to remind us that the purpose of the quarterly Citizens/Stakeholders’ engagement meeting is to inform the citizens and stakeholders of government’s policies, programmes and projects, obtain the citizens’ buy-in and partnership in the development and implementation of the policies, programmes and projects,” he said.
He noted that sustained stakeholder engagement has begun to yield tangible workforce outcomes, particularly in bridging the industry’s long-standing sea-time training gap.
“The engagement emphasised the need for public-private sector collaboration. The result of that engagement was swift and remarkable as 80 of the 221 graduating cadets were given either automatic employment or seatime training opportunities during the 2025 Cadets graduation ceremony,” Okonna stated.
Building on that momentum, the Academy, he noted, has secured a structured training pipeline through a three-year Memorandum of Agreement with NLNG Shipping and Marine Services Limited, facilitating onboard placement for cadets.
“A total of 43 Cadets from the Academy have been placed onboard NLNG ships for their STCW Mandatory One-year Seatime experience between December 2025 and February 2026,” he added.
Okonna further attributed the institution’s operational stability to strong backing from host stakeholders, noting that support from Akwa Ibom State, Oron Local Government, and the Eyo-Abasi community has been instrumental, with the Academy reciprocating through local economic contributions such as outsourced security and environmental services.
He, however, flagged infrastructure constraints, explaining that despite heavy investment in rehabilitating the Eket–Oron power supply line, “PHED-reported nationally influenced electricity challenges have hindered the derivation of the full benefit of this investment.”
In his remarks, Governing Council Chairman, Kehinde Olayinka Akinola, underscored the policy significance of stakeholder engagement within the Federal Government’s inclusiveness agenda under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“We gather here in compliance with the Federal Government of Nigeria’s directive to hold Citizens and Stakeholders Engagement to communicate Government activities to the citizens as a way of inclusiveness in governance,” he said.
Akinola reaffirmed the Academy’s global standing, anchored on compliance with International Maritime Organization standards, particularly the STCW Convention.
“The graduates of the Academy are sought after by the industry because of the standard. In 2025 graduation ceremony, about 80 cadets got instant employment opportunity as a result of the confidence which the industry has for the products of the Academy,” he stated.
He also cautioned against proposals to convert the specialised institution into a conventional university, warning that such a move could dilute its core mandate.
“Converting the Academy to a University would undoubtedly bring changes, but we must consider whether this shift would enhance or dilute our focus. Our strength lies in our specialised programmes, industry connections, global recognition and hand-on-training.
“Let’s retain the essence of what makes our Maritime Academy exceptional. By doing so, we’ll continue to produce skilled professionals, drive economic growth, and foster meaningful partnership,” Akinola said.
From an industry standpoint, Director General of the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping, Vivian Chimezie-Azubuike, reframed community integration as a core economic strategy.
“Formalising these partnerships is not just a social duty; it is a strategic economic necessity,” she said, noting that informal maritime activities such as artisanal fishing and local logistics underpin sector resilience.
She called for a shift in investor perception toward coastal communities.
“We must move beyond seeing these areas as mere ‘host communities’ and start viewing them as ‘investment hubs,’” she said, adding that targeted investments in infrastructure, cold chain systems and sustainable aquaculture would unlock sector-wide value.
Chimezie-Azubuike described the Academy’s newly commissioned projects as “the ‘infrastructure of dignity’, providing the tools for local traders to thrive and ensure clean energy and water for the community.”
On the community front, Chairman of the Host Community Relations Committee, Okokon Paul Eyo, acknowledged the Academy’s interventions but pressed for deeper institutional frameworks.
“We humbly and respectfully appeal to formalise a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Host Community and the Academy. This is not a mere formality, but a crucial step towards building a lasting and mutually beneficial relationship,” he said.
Eyo also highlighted employment concerns, noting limited representation of indigenes within the institution.
“We plead the Chairman and Rector to consider employing qualified community members. This will also demonstrate the academy’s commitment to developing the local human capital and contributing to the community’s socio-economic growth,” he added, while also requesting welfare support for the committee and reminding management of an outstanding bus pledge.
Traditional leadership reinforced the development impact, with the Paramount Ruler of Oron, Offong Odiong Akan, commending the Academy’s targeted interventions.
“The construction of a modern market in EyoAbasi Community will significantly enhance local commerce, create economic opportunities, and improve the livelihoods of our people,” he said.
He added that the solar-powered borehole would “provide access to clean and safe drinking water,” while solar installations at the palace promote sustainable energy adoption.
At the centre of the engagement was the commissioning of three CSR projects under the Academy’s 2025 appropriation: seven lock-up shops and 19 open stalls in Eyo-Abasi, a 600-litre solar-powered borehole in Udung Okung, and a 10KVA solar installation at the palace of the Paramount Ruler.
Collectively, stakeholders agreed that aligning maritime training, private capital, and community development frameworks remains critical to unlocking Nigeria’s marine and blue economy potential, with the Maritime Academy emerging as a central platform for executing that strategy.
By Monireoluwa Lucas
Africa risks losing further ground in the global shipping industry as a shortage of internationally certified seafarers and maritime professionals continues to limit the continent’s ability to compete in an increasingly technology-driven sector.
The Manager of Training and Maritime Centre of Excellence (MCOE) at Nigerian Maritime Services Limited (NSML), Dr Effiong Ekanem-Attah, raised the concern at the 2026 Maritime Training Institute organised by the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) in Lagos.
Ekanem-Attah, who represented the Managing Director of NSML, Abdulkadir Kere Ahmed, said the global maritime industry was becoming increasingly regulated, technology-driven and dependent on skilled professionals capable of operating under international standards.
Speaking on the theme: “The Power of Innovation in a Future-Ready Maritime Training Agenda,” he said digitalisation, decarbonisation, automation and stricter safety requirements were reshaping shipping and increasing demand for competent maritime professionals.
He said that despite Africa’s strategic maritime location and extensive coastline, the continent had struggled to produce sufficient internationally certified seafarers to meet the demands of the global maritime labour market.
According to him, limited access to quality maritime training, inadequate simulator facilities, accreditation challenges and insufficient opportunities for practical sea-time were among factors responsible for the skills gap.
The situation, he said, had compelled many shipping companies operating in Africa to rely heavily on expatriates for critical technical and operational positions.
“Consequently, many shipping companies operating in and out of Africa have relied heavily on expatriate personnel for critical technical and operational roles,” he said.
Ekanem-Attah said closing the gap would require an integrated maritime manpower development system combining education, professional certification, practical sea-time, mentorship, technology, research and industry collaboration.
He said the NSML Maritime Centre of Excellence on Bonny Island, Rivers State, was established as part of efforts to address longstanding maritime manpower challenges.
According to him, the centre combines maritime training, simulator-based learning, sea-time development, professional certification support, research, consultancy and industry partnerships.
Ekanem-Attah said the centre had secured international accreditations, including ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System, DNV standards for maritime simulator and training centres, United Kingdom Maritime and Coastguard Agency accreditation for six courses, Nautical Institute accreditation for Dynamic Positioning programmes, as well as accreditations from Marshall Islands, Bermuda and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
He said the accreditations would enable Nigerian and other African maritime professionals to obtain globally recognised qualifications locally instead of travelling abroad for specialist training.
The centre, he added, had invested in advanced facilities, including bridge and engine-room simulators and Dynamic Positioning systems, enabling trainees to simulate operational situations, emergency procedures and other risk-sensitive scenarios.
On the challenge of sea-time, Ekanem-Attah said NSML’s Seafarers Continuous Development Programme had provided opportunities for young professionals seeking to meet certification requirements.
He said 272 cadets had completed sea-time training through the programme, while another 54 were either in college or onboard vessels progressing towards professional certification.
“As of August 2026, NSML employs over 700 seafarers and remains the largest employer of qualified Nigerian seafarers,” he said.
Also speaking, the Lagos Port Complex Manager of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr Adebowale Lawal, who represented the Managing Director, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, said technology alone could not transform the maritime sector without adequate human capital.
Lawal said digitalisation, artificial intelligence, automation, robotics and data-driven logistics were changing global port and shipping operations.
He said the NPA had deployed technology to improve efficiency, transparency, safety and service delivery, citing the Electronic Call-Up System, Electronic Access Control, digital revenue systems, vessel management platforms and the ongoing development of the Port Community System.
According to him, the Authority was also aligning its processes with the National Single Window to promote greater integration and electronic exchange of information among maritime stakeholders.
“These initiatives demonstrate that the future of our ports will depend increasingly on people who understand and can effectively deploy technology,” he said.
Lawal said maritime training institutions must produce professionals who were technically competent, innovative, adaptable and digitally literate, as the industry moves towards smart ports, autonomous and connected ships, cybersecurity systems, green shipping technologies and data-driven decision-making.
He urged greater collaboration among government, industry and training institutions to develop the manpower required to make Nigeria’s maritime sector globally competitive.
“Let us remember that innovation is not only about machines and technology; it is about people, ideas and the courage to do things better,” he said.
Lawal added that sustained investment in skills development would help Nigeria build a workforce capable of driving safer, smarter, greener and more efficient maritime and port operations.
By Monireoluwa Lucas
The Federal Government has directed the transfer of the Inland Dry Port (IDP) functions of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as part of ongoing reforms in the nation’s maritime sector.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, announced the directive while disclosing plans for the transition of the NSC into the newly established Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA).
Oyetola said the changes were aimed at ensuring a clear separation between port economic regulation, infrastructure development and port operations.
According to him, a Ministerial Committee has been constituted to oversee the transition of the NSC into NPERA following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the NPERA Act, 2026.
The minister described the new legislation as a landmark reform that would establish a substantive statutory economic regulator for Nigeria’s port sector after about two decades of efforts to achieve such a framework.
The NSC has served as the country’s interim port economic regulator since 2014.
Under the new arrangement, NPERA will be responsible for key economic regulatory functions, including the regulation of tariffs and charges, promotion of competition, licensing, service standards, commercial dispute resolution and protection of port users.
Oyetola said the separation of regulatory and operational responsibilities was necessary to strengthen confidence in the sector and prevent actual or perceived conflicts of interest.
He said an economic regulator must be able to operate as an impartial referee and should not simultaneously perform functions that could compromise that role.
The minister said the government’s objective was to ensure that agencies under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy operated within clearly defined mandates.
This, he said, would eliminate overlapping responsibilities, improve transparency and provide a more predictable business environment for port users, investors, terminal operators, shipping companies and other stakeholders.
On the transfer of the IDP functions, Oyetola said moving the responsibility to the NPA would strengthen the development and integration of inland dry ports into Nigeria’s wider port infrastructure and operational network.
He said the NPA was better positioned to promote the facilities as part of an integrated national port system.
The minister said the emergence of NPERA marked a new phase in the governance of Nigeria’s port sector, assuring that the government would work to ensure a smooth transition.
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