Maritime Academy Ag Rector, Okonna Bags Distinguished Leadership Award for Maritime Education Excellence
The Acting Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Dr. Kevin Okonna, has been honoured with the Distinguished Leadership in Maritime Education and Institutional Excellence Award at the 6th Edition of the JournalNG Port Industry Town Hall Meeting, held on April 24, 2026, under the theme “Towards a Regime of Smart Ports in Nigeria.”
The award recognises Dr. Okonna’s outstanding leadership in advancing maritime education, strengthening institutional standards, and positioning the Maritime Academy of Nigeria as a key driver of human capacity development for Nigeria’s evolving port system.
The Acting Rector was represented by the Academy’s Image Manager, Domo Umoekpe, who delivered his goodwill message at the gathering of maritime stakeholders.
In his message, Dr. Okonna reiterated the importance of building a digitally skilled maritime workforce as Nigeria moves towards smart port operations, noting that the future of global trade is increasingly defined by technology, efficiency, and sustainability.
He stated that the Maritime Academy of Nigeria has remained committed to producing forward-thinking maritime professionals equipped with the knowledge and digital competence required to operate in modern port environments. According to him, the Academy offers specialised courses in port operations, port management, and port security, supported by advanced simulators and modern training facilities designed to provide hands-on digital learning experiences.
Dr. Okonna also highlighted a major milestone achieved under his leadership, noting that the Academy recently secured international certification from the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) for its Integrated Management System in line with ISO 9001:2015 for Quality Management Systems and ISO 21001:2025 for Educational Organizations Management System.
He described the certification as evidence of the institution’s commitment to global best practices, quality assurance, and continuous improvement in maritime education.
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