The Federal Government on Thursday reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening human capital development with the inauguration of the Institute of Maritime Studies Building at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, who inaugurated the building in UNILAG, said the facility would enhance institutional capacity.
Oyetola added that it would support the development of skilled manpower needed to drive Nigeria’s maritime and blue economy.
He described the project as a milestone in the Federal Government’s efforts to promote innovation and deepen expertise in the maritime sector.
According to him, the building, equipped with lecture rooms and administrative offices, reflects government’s commitment to knowledge-driven development and sustainable exploitation of ocean resources.
“The future of the blue economy will be shaped not just by natural endowments, but by the quality of minds we nurture within institutions such as this.
“In a country where over 90 per cent of trade is conducted through maritime channels, the blue economy remains a national economic lifeline,” he said.
The minister said the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy had prioritised manpower development in line with the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy.
He disclosed that no fewer than 2,469 young Nigerians had been sponsored for training in maritime institutions across countries.
He added that these included the United Kingdom, Egypt, the Philippines, India and Romania under the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme.
According to him, 1,098 of the trainees have obtained Certificates of Competency.
Oyetola also urged the institute to intensify research and innovation in fisheries and aquaculture to help bridge the nation’s annual fish demand gap of 3.6 million metric tonnes.
He said the Federal Government had commenced implementation of the Coastal and Inland Shipping, Cabotage Act 2003 and was set to begin disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund to qualified Nigerian shipowners.
The minister said the intervention was expected to create about 30,000 direct and indirect jobs across the maritime value chain.
He added that ongoing modernisation of Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, alongside procurement processes for upgrading ports outside Lagos, would generate an estimated 20,000 additional jobs.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, said the four-storey building was donated by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) as the first phase of the Institute of Maritime Studies complex.
Ogunsola said the institute, established in 2013, had graduated over 2,000 students, while more than 400 students registered for the current academic session.
She noted that the institute offered postgraduate programmes in maritime administration, hydrographic surveying, maritime communications and navigation, environmental studies, and logistics.
Ogunsola described the facility as a major investment in human capital development, saying it featured modern lecture rooms, laboratories and equipment to support practical training and research.
She called for sustained support from the government and NIMASA for the completion of the remaining phases of the institute’s development.
Also speaking, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, said the project underscored the agency’s dedication to maritime capacity development and academia-industry collaboration.
Mobereola said NIMASA had established partnerships with eight Nigerian universities, two international institutions and several maritime academies to strengthen manpower development.
He said the agency had so far trained 2,497 young Nigerians in world-class seafaring skills through the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme.
According to him, the maritime sector depends not only on seafarers but also on competent onshore professionals in shipping logistics, freight forwarding, marine insurance, maritime law, ship brokerage and port management.
“This building represents a significant milestone in NIMASA’s commitment to maritime capacity development.
“It reflects our belief that sustainable growth in the maritime sector can only be achieved through continuous investment in people,” he said.
Present at the inauguration were top brass in the maritime sector alongside management and staff of UNILAG. (NAN)
