World Maritime University Partners Nigeria On Capacity Building

World Maritime University

The President of the World Maritime University (WMU), Malmo Sweden, Prof. Bjorn Kjerfve, has
expressed the readiness of WMU to partner Nigeria on ways of strengthening the relationship between Nigeria and WMU.

To this end, it said it will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and discuss strategies for Nigeria to commit more students to the institution.

The university, founded 30 years ago to provide global human capacity, is set to find constructive ways of bringing the Maritime Academy Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Akwa Ibom to the next level in maritime development.

Kjerfve stated this when he paid a courtesy call on the Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, at the Maritime House, the corporate headquarters of the agency in Lagos.

Nigeria, which ranks second on the list of countries sending their students to WMU, has sent a total of 141 professional students to the school.

Kjerfve's words: "The WMU has a long-ranging collaborating relationship with Nigeria ongoing for 30 years. As of today, there are 141 Nigerian professionals who have graduated from the WMU. We are not a Swedish university but a maritime university located in Sweden. This is a fantastic year for all of us.

"We shall be turning 30 and for the first time we shall be hosting the first-ever Alumni Conference later this year in Nigeria. The Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, would provide us with the venue, which shall be Lagos or Abuja, and the particular programme for the occasion", he added.

Akpobolokemi, in his response, reiterated some of the salient points made by Kjerfve, which are, to strengthen the working relationship with Nigeria; to enhance capacity building for the nation; and to form mechanisms for achieving special recognition by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

The NIMASA helmsman expressed the belief that it is through the various contributions made by the agency and the Ministry of Transport that has led to the world recognition to be given by IMO.

He noted that a major concern of the agency was the dilapidated state of facilities and equipment presently at MAN Oron. He said as the statutory major funding partner of MAN Oron, they had donated a total of N1billion last year to the academy and it is expected of them to make a 5 per cent donation from their main revenue base.

He said the current facilities at MAN Oron need to be upgraded. "The population of Nigeria is growing by the day and it is 'youthful' in statistics. With the teeming youths, we want to take as much as possible to the maritime industry.

Right now we are sending our youths to various universities around the world for training. We are also opening new maritime universities in Nigeria.

"As for the WMU we are going to send more and more students particularly because you are concerned with post graduate students. We would send these students to get the necessary training and qualifications to come and assist us back home," he said.

He hailed President Goodluck Jonathan for his profound interest in the growth and development of the maritime sector of the economy, especially the development of MAN Oron.