Joyce Mmereole Okoli
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has reinforced its commitment to building a globally competitive maritime workforce with the signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organisation (ITC-ILO) in Turin, Italy.
The agreement is designed to strengthen NIMASA’s institutional capacity through specialised technical assistance, training programmes, and capacity-building initiatives for the Agency’s personnel and key stakeholders across Nigeria’s maritime sector.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, emphasized that human capital development remains a critical pillar of the Agency’s vision for a modern and resilient maritime industry capable of responding to evolving global demands.
Represented by the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Mr. Chudi Offodile, Mobereola noted that the partnership aligns with NIMASA’s deliberate strategy of implementing structured and sustainable capacity development programmes for maritime professionals.
According to him, the collaboration will leverage the ITC-ILO’s global expertise to enhance the competencies of maritime labour inspectors, policymakers, trainers, and other industry professionals, particularly in the interpretation and implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006, as amended.
“This partnership directly advances our objective of developing a highly skilled maritime workforce. It further demonstrates our commitment to structured and targeted capacity development while drawing on the ITC-ILO’s vast experience and international reputation to strengthen maritime labour administration in Nigeria,” he said.
Mobereola further stressed that NIMASA remains focused on ensuring that the knowledge, systems, and institutional partnerships generated through the initiative translate into tangible improvements within the maritime sector.
“Our goal is to build a maritime industry that is professionally driven, globally respected, safe, and firmly anchored on the principles of decent work,” he added.
In his remarks, the Director of the ITC-ILO, Mr. Christopher Perrin, welcomed the partnership and pledged the Centre’s full support towards Nigeria’s maritime human capacity development aspirations.
Perrin assured that the Centre would deploy its expertise, faculty, and training resources to deliver high-quality programmes capable of producing lasting impact across the maritime industry.
The MoU follows a series of strategic engagements and consultations between both organisations. The Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services at NIMASA, Mr. Jibril Abba, and the Head of Training at ITC-ILO, Mr. Giuseppe Zefola, served as focal persons for the collaboration, while the Regional Adviser and Technical Expert at the ILO, Dr. Amos Kuje, provided strategic guidance throughout the process.
The partnership is expected to enhance Nigeria’s capacity to implement international maritime labour standards while fostering a more skilled and competitive workforce to support the country’s growing maritime ambitions.