Maritime education and training institutions from Nigeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast have agreed to deepen regional cooperation to strengthen the training of seafarers, harmonize curricula and enhance the global competitiveness of maritime professionals in West and Central Africa.
The resolution came at the end of the inaugural exchange visit organized by the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) to Oron from May 4-8 2026. The high-level meeting was convened by the West and Central African Maritime Organization (MOWCA) was attended by delegations from the Regional Maritime University (RMU) in Accra, Ghana, and the Regional Academy of Maritime Sciences and Technology (ARSTM) in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Officials from Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Shipping and Blue Economy and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Security Agency (NIMASA) were also present.
In a statement issued after the visit, the three institutions decided to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) after the third exchange visit. The MoU will establish a unified framework for strategic partnership and cooperation.
The institutions agreed to accelerate the harmonization of training programs to meet current international standards. MOWCA will facilitate a tripartite committee to coordinate the process. The objective is the mutual recognition of Certificates of Competence (CoC) and Certificates of Competence (CoP) to enhance the employability and global mobility of seafarers from the sub-region.
They also decided to establish an MOWCA-coordinated framework for faculty and student exchange programs, including sabbaticals and capacity building initiatives. To address the shortage of seatime berths for cadets, the institutions welcomed MOWCA's efforts to partner with international shipping companies and advocated for a regional trade and training vessel. They also agreed to promote mutual sharing of training facilities such as workshops, simulators and library resources, including e-library materials.
Regarding research and development, the institutions committed to joint initiatives and called on MOWCA to facilitate regular regional retreats to strengthen faculty capacity to develop competitive research proposals and access donor grants. They decided to make budgetary arrangements for these activities and urged the maritime administrations of Member States to provide support.
Recognizing the linguistic diversity of the region, the institutions stressed the need to integrate training in English and French into the curricula in order to improve communication, mutual recognition and international employability of seafarers.
The communiqué aligns with Article 8 of the Revised African Maritime Transport Charter of 2010, and the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Supervision of Seafarers (STCW), 1978, as amended.
The Nigeria Maritime Academy was commended for hosting the inaugural visit. The institutions agreed that MOWCA should facilitate similar visits in the future, with other institutions encouraged to host subsequent editions.
The communiqué was endorsed by representatives from MOWCA, ARSTM Côte d'Ivoire, RMU Ghana and MAN Nigeria, marking an important step towards greater integration and capacity development in the West and Central African maritime sector.
SOURCE: journalng.com
