The Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa Ibom State has hosted the inaugural exchange visit and a four-day workshop aimed at strengthening regional collaboration in maritime education, training, and human capacity development across West and Central Africa.
The workshop brought together three leading regional institutions — the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron; the Académie Régionale des Sciences et Techniques de la Mer (ARSTM), Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; and the Regional Maritime University (RMU), Ghana.
In his keynote address, Secretary General of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Dr. Paul Adalikwu emphasised the critical role of maritime education in sustaining regional economies.
Dr Adalikwu noted that over 90% of trade is carried by sea, and the ability to harness its benefits depends on the quality of human capacity developed.
He stressed the importance of building not just cooperation, but ‘a cohesive regional maritime knowledge ecosystem.’
“The Maritime sector remains the backbone of our regional economies. Over 90% of our trade is carried by sea, yet our capacity to fully harness the benefits of this vast domain depends largely on the quality of human capital we develop. It is in this regard that your institutions play a pivotal role,” he said.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of Colonel‑Major Karim Coulibaly, Commandant Combes Yao Frederique Olivier said;
“The exchange visit goes beyond protocol. It provides an opportunity to compare pedagogical practices, align curricula, and explore synergies in professional development, seafarer certification, and responses to contemporary challenges.
“This exchange visit is, in our view, far more than a protocol of institutional courtesy. It is an opportunity to compare our pedogeological practices, identify the complementarities between our curricula, and explore possible synergies in the area of continuing professional development, seafarer certification, and the response to contemporary challenges.”
The welcome address was delivered by Dr. Kevin Okonna, Acting Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria.
Dr Okonna expressed confidence that the collaboration would enhance maritime education and training across the sub‑region, while providing a solid framework for sustained partnership and cooperation.
He said; “I recognise that the exchange visit is a great strategic initiative of the MOWCA to establish the frame work for partnership and collaboration amongst the premier maritime institutions in the sub-region with the view to developing a robust and harmonised sector across its member states.”
The event held at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria in Oron, Akwa Ibom State, in the South-South region of Nigeria, and was attended by delegates from regional maritime education and training institutions, marking a significant step toward fostering synergy and advancing maritime capacity in West and Central Africa.
