The Federal Government has been urged to immediately operationalise the University of Maritime Studies, Oron (UMSO), to support the growth of Nigeria’s blue economy and expand maritime education opportunities.
The appeal was made by the Oron Stakeholders’ Forum during a press conference held on Monday.
The group is advocating for the upgrade of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria in Oron, Akwa Ibom State, into a fully operational maritime university.
Speaking on behalf of the stakeholders, Emmanuel Onwioduokit described the continued non-operational status of the university as a national concern.
According to him, the delay has persisted despite the institution being legally established through an Act of the National Assembly and receiving presidential assent on February 16, 2023.
“Today, nearly four years after the legislative process was concluded, the university remains inactive. A university that exists in law must also exist in reality,” he said.
Onwioduokit recalled that the recommendation to upgrade the Maritime Academy into a degree-awarding institution dates back to 2008.
He explained that the recommendation was made by the Niger Delta Development Technical Committee after years of advocacy, stakeholder consultations, public hearings and legislative processes.
Despite the legal backing, he noted that the appointment of principal officers and the constitution of the institution’s governing structures have yet to take place.
The professor added that engagements had already been held with the National Universities Commission and other relevant ministries to facilitate implementation.
He also noted that representatives of the proposed university were invited to participate in the 2025/2026 admission consultations.
According to the stakeholders, the University of Maritime Studies was designed to become a national centre for maritime excellence, research and innovation.
The institution is also expected to create employment opportunities and strengthen Nigeria’s maritime capacity development.
“At a time when nations are investing heavily in maritime capacity development, Nigeria cannot afford institutional delays of this magnitude,” Onwioduokit stated.
The group urged the President to appoint a Vice-Chancellor and other principal officers for the institution without delay.
They also called for the immediate constitution of the Governing Council and directed relevant ministries and agencies to conclude pending implementation processes.
The push for the university dates back several years.
In 2017, the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund submitted a report supporting a bill seeking to repeal the Maritime Academy of Nigeria Act and establish the Federal University of Maritime Studies, Oron.
The committee, chaired by Bazau Jibrin, concluded that upgrading the academy would significantly improve maritime education and training in Nigeria.
The committee also noted that the development would reduce the huge amount spent annually on training Nigerian cadets and seafarers abroad.
The Maritime Academy of Nigeria, formerly known as the Nautical College of Nigeria, was established in 1979 by the Federal Executive Council.
The institution graduated its first set of cadets in 1983 and later received an expanded statutory mandate through Decree No. 16 of 1988 to train personnel for Nigeria’s maritime industry.
The academy currently offers National Diploma and Higher National Diploma programmes in Nautical Sciences, Marine Engineering and Electrical/Electronic Engineering, among others.
In the proposed 2025 budget, the Federal Government allocated more than N3.11 billion to the Maritime Academy of Nigeria under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
