Sunny Edemenang – Uyo
The Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN Oron, under watchful eyes of the Acting Rector, Dr Kevin Okonna, has graduated over 50 cadets for the year 2026, and in compliance with international convention on Maritime education, rejigged the curriculum with new programmes to shore up training standard and quality of education.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola in his address during the graduation ceremony, congratulated the Acting Rector for STCWS compliant curriculum as well as the certification under the Integrated Management System in line with ISO 12015 and ISO 21001 2025.
Speaking through his Permanent Secretary, Mrs Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, the minister acknowledged the Academy’s success in addressing the challenges of cadets in accessing mandatory Sea time training onboard and commended the NLNG, Shipping and Marine Services Limited (NSML), Shipowners Association of Nigeria, Starzs Investment Limited, Sea Transport Services Nigeria Limited Arion Energy Services Limited amongst others, for offering cadets opportunity onboard their vessels for sea time experience.
Under the new arrangement, it becomes mandatory for cadets who earned their certificate of competency from MAN, to undergo a Bridging Programme for a specified period to revalidate their professional status.
During the 2026 Graduation by Engr. Oluwafemi Oyeniran, titled; “The Roles of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency in the Full Implementation of the Regulatory Requirements of the STCW Convention 1978, as Amended, cadets with National Diploma, ND, will undergo one semester course to Transit to the next level of their training, while their Higher National Diploma HND counterparts will undergo two semesters courses to add more academic values to their Certificates.
The new curriculum, according to Engr. Oyeniran, “the Bridging Programme is mandatory to all current and ex-cadets of the Academy to catch up with the contemporary demand in Maritime education”.
Other category of the programme, is Laddering Programme, designed to cater for the cadets who were admitted outside the Joint Administration and Matriculation Board, JAMB, but went through the course for certification. The programme therefore becomes a revalidation cycle to add academic content to their Certificates.
The Maritime Academy of Nigeria Oron is fully compliant to the Convention’s Guidelines to effect the review that will last up to January, 2029 when old certificates will cease to exist.
Another Paper delivered by Capt. Ahmed Hambali Yusuf, titled; “The Benefits, Challenges and Institutional Responsibilities of Onboard Training as a Critical Component of Maritime Education, Training and Certification”, it was statically disclosed from a source that the maritime industry will in 2030, need 113735 officers to operate the world fleet and 51000 seafarers for STCW which he said has risen by 35%. And that the year 2026 has recorded shortage of 39100 certified seafarers.
