314 Cadets Graduate from Maritime Academy of Nigeria as Institution Launches Digital Management System
The Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, on Thursday graduated 314 cadets from its National Diploma and Higher National Diploma programmes while formally launching an Enterprise Content Management System designed to modernise its administration.
Of the total, 260 completed the ND programme and 54 the HND. Among ND graduands, 37 earned distinctions, 110 upper credits, 92 lower credits and 21 passes. On the HND side, 27 obtained distinctions, 24 upper credits and three lower credits, with none in the pass category. Overall, 64 cadets graduated with distinctions, 134 with upper credits, 95 with lower credits and 21 with passes.
Mrs Fatima Sugra Tania Mahmood, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy who represented Minister Adegboyega Oyetola, told the gathering that a maritime nation’s strength rests less on the number of ships or ports it owns than on the competence of those who operate them.
She said maritime education must produce professionals capable of securing meaningful work, competing internationally and driving Nigeria’s marine and blue economy—not merely generate certificate holders. Success, she added, should be measured by graduates’ progression into professional certification and productive careers.
Mahmood stressed continued adherence to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) 1978, as amended, and praised the academy’s STCW-compliant curricula in nautical science and maritime engineering together with its ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 21001:2025 certifications.
International confidence in Nigeria’s training system, she said, is essential if the country is to become a leading supplier of competent seafarers. She urged the new graduates to maintain discipline, integrity, technical competence and safety standards while embracing lifelong learning and emerging technologies, and reaffirmed federal support for the academy’s mandate.
She also formally unveiled the Enterprise Content Management System, describing it as part of the government’s broader digital transformation drive. The platform is intended to shift administrative work from paper-based processes to a more efficient, transparent and accountable digital environment, improving records management and internal workflows.
Acting Rector Dr Kelvin Okonna reported that the academy had strengthened its training programmes, improved staff welfare and expanded partnerships. With support from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) , it had secured collaboration with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the World Maritime University on pilot initiatives for green and digital shipping in sub-Saharan Africa.
The institution also maintains links with the Nautical Institute (UK), the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, and the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration.
Okonna charged the graduates to uphold the academy’s values of technical competence, integrity and character.
Dr Pius Akutah, Director-General of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency(NPERA) told the cadets that graduation marked the start of a new phase of professional development rather than its end.
Government policy was opening opportunities in the sector, Akutah said, and he encouraged them to apply their training creatively and continue learning.
The ceremony brought together government officials, regulators, industry operators, academy staff, parents and other stakeholders to mark both the graduates’ entry into the maritime workforce and the academy’s further step toward modernised administration.
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