NIMASA–MAN FUNDING CRISIS: FRESH PUSH TO UNLOCK TRAPPED MARITIME TRAINING FUNDS Academy battles infrastructure deficit as NIMASA pledges deeper collaboration, curriculum overhaul

By Frontline Reporters
The long-running funding crisis threatening the expansion of Nigeria’s premier maritime training institution, the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN, Oron, may be heading for a fresh resolution as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, opens a new engagement with the Academy’s Governing Council.
The development followed a working visit by the Governing Council, led by its Chairman, Engr. Kehinde Olayinka Akinola, to NIMASA’s corporate headquarters in Lagos. The meeting is significant coming amid longstanding concerns over funding for critical projects at the Academy, including modern survival-training facilities, hostels, office buildings and other infrastructure needed to raise the standard of maritime education.
At the heart of the controversy is the statutory funding expected to support the Academy’s development. Previous legislative deliberations have raised concerns over the accumulation and delayed release of funds meant for approved MAN projects, prompting calls for NIMASA to put mechanisms in place to ensure that the Academy receives the resources required to upgrade its facilities and training capacity.
NIMASA Director-General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, however, used the engagement to signal a new direction, stressing that closer collaboration between the regulator and the Academy is essential to producing the skilled seafarers Nigeria needs to fully exploit its Blue Economy potential. He also disclosed that NIMASA is reviewing the curriculum for maritime training institutions to bring it closer to international best practices and strengthen the global recognition of Nigerian seafarers’ certificates.
The urgency is underscored by the widening gap between the number of maritime professionals being trained and the limited opportunities available for cadets to acquire practical sea-time experience. Despite financial and infrastructural constraints, MAN trained 11,788 participants between 2024 and the first half of 2026, including 4,595 in 2024, 4,969 in 2025 and 2,234 in the first six months of 2026.
But the numbers tell only part of the story. Only 401 cadets reportedly completed their regular cadet programmes during the period, highlighting the difficult transition from classroom and shore-based training to the practical sea experience required for professional certification and employment.
In response, the Academy’s Governing Council has unveiled a five-year development plan that includes the acquisition of a training vessel, potentially reducing dependence on overseas arrangements and creating more opportunities for Nigerian cadets to obtain hands-on experience onboard vessels.
There are already signs that industry collaboration could provide part of the solution. Through a three-year agreement with NLNG Shipping and Marine Services Limited, MAN has placed 43 cadets on NLNG vessels for onboard training, giving them the practical experience needed to compete in the international maritime labour market.
For the Academy, however, the bigger test remains whether the renewed NIMASA engagement will translate into sustained funding, modern facilities and expanded sea-time opportunities. For Nigeria, the stakes are even higher: without a strong pipeline of internationally competitive seafarers, the country’s much-publicised Blue Economy ambition could remain constrained by a shortage of the human capital required to drive it.