Maritime Academy of Nigeria: A Faculty Anchored in Excellence

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

In the heart of Oron, Akwa Ibom State, stands the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) as a beacon of maritime education and training, not just for Nigeria, but offering its maritime education training across the sub region and beyond.

At the  3^rd Quarter 2025 Citizens’ and Stakeholders’ Retreat held on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, MAN Acting Rector Dr. Kevin Okonna in a chat with journalists reaffirmed the Academy’s unwavering commitment to excellence and its robust faculty strength.

The picture of the Acting Rector receiving the “Acceptance Certificate” for the Academy’s simulators from the representative of Applied Research International (ARI) on behalf of the former Rector, after installation and post-installation training of all relevant instructors in the Academy in 2021

The address dealt a powerful blow on recent misconceptions that have cast unwarranted doubt on the true state of the institution’s teaching capacity especially in the area of specialized marine training.

Okonna presented an impressive faculty built on expertise as against assumptions that were clearly contrary to misleading narratives, noting that the Academy has a formidable pool of 97 teaching staff.

This he explained includes 7 Master Mariners and Chief Engineers with unmatched experience and global certifications; with 20 Simulator Instructors and maintenance staff, trained under IMO Model Courses 6.09 and 6.10. Eminently qualified and versed in seafaring training himself,  Okonna said the Academy also parades several professional lecturers, including 3 expatriates, with diverse qualifications and industry experience.

This cadre of educators is not only qualified but actively engaged in delivering world-class training aligned with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, as amended; he said.

The Rector also disclosed that through the strategic guidance of the Academy Board, there is an ongoing   strategic expansion and faculty development, noting that over the past 10 months, the Academy has taken bold steps to reinforce its faculty strength, including rehiring a renowned expatriate Master Mariner & Simulator Training Expert from India, who is slated to arrive the Academy after a previous tenure, any time soon.

The group picture of some of the simulator instructors and maintenance staff taken within one hour of notice on Friday, 29thAugust, 2025 is hereby shown to authenticate this information

This is even as Okonna also said management has employed 6 additional marine professionals, including Chief Engineers, Deck Officers, and Master Mariners with Unlimited Foreign Going Certificates.

Ever mindful of the vast professional needs of the Academy, he said management has ensured it maintain robust partnership and collaboration with maritime professional bodies including the the Alumni of Maritime Academy of Nigeria Oron (AMANO), to be able to attract top-tier talents.

While appreciating the efforts of his predecessors especially the immediate past Rector, Commodore Duja Effedua Rtd, Dr. Okonna hinted that management has secured enhanced remuneration packages to attract scarce-skill professionals.

He explained that these efforts reflect a proactive strategy and not a reactive scramble to ensure the Academy remains a leader in maritime education.

While noting that Academy’s training infrastructure is second to none, he anchored the training standards that set the course on the following:

*Seven Regular Cadetship Programs accredited by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

*Forty-eight Professional and Mandatory Short Courses accredited by NIMASA.

*State-of-the-art marine simulators, fully operational and manned by certified instructors.

The Academy is also on track for ISO 9001:2015 and Educational Organization Management System (EOMS) certification, further validating its commitment to international quality standards.

The Academy’s graduates according to him have continued to earn accolades and employment offers from leading maritime firms and professional bodies, including Nautical Institute (UK) and IMarEST (UK) partnerships for cadet registration.

The briefing which was more than a status update aas a clarion call to industry stakeholders and the public that MAN is not only staffed with qualified professionals, but is actively expanding and enhancing its faculty to meet global standards.