Africa’s Blue Economy Growth: Nigeria’s Maritime Academy Partners Liberia

AFOLABI SAHEED OLAWALE

The Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) is partnering with the Liberia Maritime Authority and the Liberia Maritime Training Institute to grow Africa’s maritime economy and education.

Tornorlah Varpilah, Board Chairman of the Liberian Maritime Authority, disclosed this during a reciprocal visit to MAN in Oron on Tuesday.

Varpilah said the visit was aimed at exchanging knowledge to promote the development of Africa’s blue economy and maritime education.

He said Nigeria had the resources and capacity to invest in the maritime sector for sustainable blue economy development, while expressing delight at the facilities at the nation’s premier maritime academy.

Varpilah commended the Federal Government for investing in the maritime sector, saying the investment would contribute to the growth of the blue economy.

He said the partnership between Nigeria and Liberia’s maritime sectors would promote development in both countries and across the African region.

“We are here to promote the African region. Nigeria is rich, they have enough capital for investment. We are committed to this partnership. We want to ensure that we share our vision together and work together to overcome maritime challenges facing Africa,” he said.

Varpilah said MAN was capable of developing the manpower base needed for Africa’s blue economy.

The Board Chairman of MAN, Kehinde Akinola, described the visit by the Liberian maritime sector delegation as both reciprocal and timely.

“We visited Liberia in 2025, we used the visit to initiate this partnership deal. It will enhance collaboration between the two institutions,” he said.

Akinola said the visit reaffirmed the historic bonds between Nigeria and Liberia, adding that the two countries shared a maritime heritage.

He said both countries also had a common interest in a safe, secure and prosperous maritime sector in the Gulf of Guinea.

“Your presence is a reflection of the growing relationship between our institutions to strengthen maritime education, training and human-capacity development in West Africa.”

“Liberia has a significant presence in global shipping, particularly through its internationally recognised ship registry, while Nigeria has one of Africa’s largest and most diversified maritime economies,” he said.

The Acting Rector of MAN, Dr Kevin Okonna, said the partnership would focus on cadet training, exchange of academic programmes, exchange of lecturers and deployment of trained cadets.

Okonna said the visit would support partnership building, resource sharing, exchange of blue economy expertise and recognition of seafarers’ certification.

“It will also help to train Liberian seafarers in Nigeria and have Nigerian cadets to train or work onboard Liberian flagged vessels,” he said.

Okonna said all programmes of the academy had been approved in line with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping.