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Maritime Academy of Nigeria partners Liberia Maritime Authority and Liberia Maritime Training Institute on regional maritime manpower development.
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Partnership to cover cadet training, exchange of lecturers and academic programmes, and deployment of trained seafarers.
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Nigerian cadets may train or work aboard Liberian-flagged vessels, while Liberian seafarers could receive training in Nigeria.
September 03, (THEWILL) — The Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Akwa Ibom State, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Liberia Maritime Authority and the Liberia Maritime Training Institute to strengthen maritime education and develop the skilled workforce needed to drive Africa’s blue economy.
The partnership, which followed a reciprocal visit by a Liberian maritime delegation to the academy on Tuesday, is expected to deepen cooperation between Nigeria and Liberia in maritime training, knowledge sharing, seafarer development and employment opportunities.
The chairman of the Liberian Maritime Authority, Tornorlah Varpilah, said the initiative was aimed at pooling knowledge and expertise to promote the growth of Africa’s blue economy and maritime education.
Varpilah, who expressed satisfaction with the facilities at MAN, said Nigeria possessed the resources and capacity to make greater investments in the maritime sector and support sustainable development of the continent’s blue economy.
He commended the Federal Government for its investment in the maritime sector, noting that stronger collaboration between Nigeria and Liberia would contribute to maritime development in both countries and across Africa.
According to him, the partnership is intended to enable both countries to develop a shared vision and work collectively to overcome some of the challenges confronting Africa’s maritime industry.
He further identified MAN as a strategic institution capable of contributing significantly to the expansion of Africa’s maritime workforce.
The Board Chairman of MAN, Kehinde Akinola, described the Liberian delegation’s visit as timely, noting that the foundation for the partnership was laid during a visit by MAN officials to Liberia in 2025.
Akinola said the latest engagement would strengthen institutional cooperation between the two countries while further reinforcing their historic maritime ties.
Also speaking, the Acting Rector of MAN, Kevin Okonna, said the partnership would focus on cadet training, exchange of academic programmes and lecturers, deployment of trained cadets, sharing of blue economy expertise and enhanced recognition of seafarer certification.
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Okonna disclosed that the arrangement would create opportunities for Liberian seafarers to receive training in Nigeria, while Nigerian cadets could train or secure opportunities to work aboard Liberian-flagged vessels.
He added that the academy’s programmes had been approved in line with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) standards on training, certification and watchkeeping.
The development comes at a time when African countries are increasingly seeking to harness their vast maritime resources for economic diversification, job creation and regional trade.
The Nigeria-Liberia maritime partnership is significant because Africa’s blue economy cannot be driven by infrastructure and investment alone; it requires a highly skilled indigenous workforce capable of operating vessels, managing maritime assets and providing specialised services.
MAN’s role in training cadets therefore places Nigeria in a strategic position to supply maritime manpower beyond its borders.
More importantly, the arrangement could open a new pathway for Nigerian maritime graduates to gain international exposure and employment, particularly through opportunities aboard Liberian-flagged vessels.
If properly implemented, the partnership could evolve from an academic exchange into a broader West African maritime manpower and certification framework, strengthening regional capacity and reducing Africa’s dependence on foreign maritime expertise.
