From left: Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh and Executive Director, Admin & Finance NIMASA, Mr. Chudi Offodile during the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding MoU between NIMASA and the World Maritime University WMU recently.

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA, has renewed its capacity building Memorandum of Understanding MoU, with the World Maritime University WMU, Malmo, Sweden. The move is to enhance capacity development in the country and ultimately grow the maritime industry.

The MOU provides for maritime education, training, research and capacity building for officers of NIMASA with at least 10 officers funded annually by the agency to study at WMU in MSc in Maritime Affairs Programmes based in Malmo, Sweden.

In addition, under the agreement, NIMASA will sponsor at least one officer per year to study in the WMU/IMLI MPhil programme in International Maritime Law and Ocean Policy. It also provides for WMU to develop and organise short-term, specialised Executive Professional Development Courses EPDCs for NIMASA officers.

Speaking shortly after the virtual signing of the MoU, Director General of the agency, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, noted that there is no substitute to education. “NIMASA’s collaboration with the World Maritime University is to advance maritime interest while addressing the changing needs of the maritime industry based on sustainable capacity development; aseducation, training and capacity building play a major role in developing shipping in any nation”, he said.

It was gathered that the agency is at an advanced stage in setting up a Regional Maritime Safety and Security Research Center to enhance research works. The centre is to take care of capacity development in 25 African countries.

It was further learnt that graduates from the WMU who are in the employ of the agency will serve as researchers and resource Persons, Sharing knowledge and hopefully develop a research based sustainable framework to provide solution to issues of insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea.

The NIMASA Regional Maritime Safety and Security Research Centre is designed to be a centre of excellence in research and we will collaborate and cooperate with other countries.

President of the WMU, Dr.Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry noted that NIMASA is playing a leading role in developing capacity for the maritime industry in the Gulf of Guinea region. She commended Nigerian students who have passed through the University and welcome the renewal of the agreement. She added that NIMASA is one of the first supporters of WMU.

“This initiative also supports the WMU’s commitment to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals SDGs. Nigeria leads, others follow. WMU is delighted to be associated with NIMASA and its works, which extend beyond national boundaries, and has a significant effect on the whole region.

“We are also pleased to have such a successful and warm relationship with NIMASA and its members of staff, it is a perfect example of international cooperation for sustainable growth. I look forward to the fruitful outcome of our collaborative efforts as articulated in the Memorandum and based on the principles of equity, reciprocity and mutual benefits”, the WMU President also said.