West, Central Africa Maritime Academies Sign Pact to Harmonise Training, Boost Seafarer Competitiveness
By Feyisola Adeyeha
The Maritime education and training institutions from Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire have agreed to deepen regional cooperation to strengthen seafarer training, harmonise curricula, and boost the global competitiveness of maritime professionals in West and Central Africa.
The resolution came at the end of the inaugural exchange visit hosted by the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) in Oron from 4 to 8 May 2026. The high-level meeting was convened by the Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) and attended by delegations from the Regional Maritime University (RMU) in Accra, Ghana, and the Académie Régionale des Sciences et Techniques de la Mer (ARSTM) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Officials from Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) were also present.
In a communique issued after the visit, the three institutions resolved 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 harmonisation of training curricula to meet current international standards. MOWCA will facilitate a tripartite committee to coordinate the process. The goal is mutual recognition of Certificates of Competency (CoC) and Certificates of Proficiency (CoP) to improve employability and global mobility of seafarers from the sub-region.
They also resolved to establish a MOWCA-coordinated framework for faculty and student exchange programmes, including sabbaticals and capacity-building initiatives. To address the shortage of sea-time berths for cadets, the institutions welcomed MOWCA’s efforts to partner with international shipping lines and advocated for a regional trading and training ship. They further agreed to promote mutual sharing of training facilities such as workshops, simulators, and library resources, including e-library materials.
On research and development, the institutions committed to joint initiatives and called on MOWCA to facilitate regular regional retreats to build faculty capacity for developing competitive research proposals and accessing donor grants. They resolved to make budgetary provisions for these activities and urged maritime administrations in member states to provide support.
Recognising the region’s linguistic diversity, the institutions stressed the need to integrate English and French language training into curricula to improve communication, mutual recognition, and international employability of seafarers.
The communique aligns with Article 8 of the Revised African Maritime Transport Charter, 2010, and the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978 as amended.
The Maritime Academy of Nigeria was commended for hosting the inaugural visit. The institutions agreed that MOWCA should facilitate similar future visits, with other institutions encouraged to host subsequent editions.
The communique was endorsed by representatives of MOWCA, ARSTM Côte d’Ivoire, RMU Ghana, and MAN Nigeria, marking a significant step towards greater integration and capacity development in the West and Central African maritime sector.
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