The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has renewed its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with the World Maritime University, (WMU) Malmo, Sweden. The move is aimed at enhancing capacity development; to grow the Nigerian maritime sector.
Speaking shortly after the signing of the MoU virtually, the Director-General of the Agency, Dr Bashir Jamoh noted that there is no substitute for education. “The collaboration with the World Maritime University by NIMASA is to advance maritime interest while addressing the changing needs of the maritime industry based on sustainable capacity development; as education, training and capacity building plays a major role in developing shipping in any nation”, he said.
The Director-General used the opportunity to disclose that the Agency is at an advanced stage in setting up a Regional Maritime Safety and Security Research Center that will enhance research works in 25 African countries. “Graduates from the WMU who is in the employ of the Agency”, he said, “will serve as Researchers and Resource Persons, sharing knowledge and hopefully develop a research-based sustainable framework to provide a solution to issues of insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea”.
The NIMASA Regional Maritime Safety and Security Research Center will be a centre of excellence in research and we will collaborate and cooperate with other countries”.
On her part, the President of the WMU, Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry noted that NIMASA is playing a leading role in developing capacity for the maritime industry in the Gulf of Guinea region. She commended Nigerian students who have passed through the University and welcomed the agreement, adding that NIMASA is one of the first supporters of WMU.
The agreement provides for maritime education, training, research and capacity building for officers of NIMASA with at least ten officers funded annually by the Agency to study at WMU in the MSc in Maritime Affairs programme based in Malmo, Sweden. In addition, under the Agreement, NIMASA will sponsor at least one officer per year to study in the WMU/IMLI MPhil programme in International Maritime Law and Ocean Policy. The agreement also provides for WMU to develop and organize short-term, specialized Executive Professional Development Courses (EPDCs) for NIMASA officers.
It could be recalled that the federal government in 2012 established the Nigeria Maritime University at Okerenkoko, Gbaramatu, Delta state to aid the maritime industry in Nigeria.
