By Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has reinforced its commitment to building a globally competitive maritime workforce with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organisation (ITC-ILO) in Turin, Italy.
The agreement is aimed at strengthening NIMASA’s institutional capacity through targeted technical assistance, professional training and capacity-building programmes for the Agency’s personnel and other key stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, said investment in human capital development remains a critical pillar of the Agency’s strategy to position Nigeria’s maritime industry to meet evolving global demands.
Represented by the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Mr. Chudi Offodile, Mobereola said the collaboration with the ITC-ILO aligns with NIMASA’s deliberate drive to establish structured capacity development programmes for maritime professionals.
He noted that the partnership would deepen the competence of maritime labour inspectors, policymakers and trainers, particularly in the interpretation and implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006, as amended.
According to him, “This partnership, therefore, responds directly to that objective and further reinforces the Agency’s commitment to structured and targeted capacity development, while leveraging the ITC-ILO’s expertise and global pedigree to strengthen the training of maritime labour inspectors, policymakers, and trainers in the interpretation and implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, as amended.”
The NIMASA boss stressed that the collaboration extends beyond staff training, saying it is designed to strengthen the country’s maritime labour administration and enhance Nigeria’s standing in the global maritime community.
He added, “We remain committed to ensuring that the knowledge, systems, and partnerships developed through this engagement translate into measurable improvements in maritime labour administration and support a sector that is globally respected, professionally driven, safe, and firmly anchored on the principles of decent work.”
Responding, the Director of the ITC-ILO, Mr. Christopher Perrin, welcomed the collaboration and expressed confidence that the partnership would contribute significantly to sustainable human capacity development in Nigeria’s maritime industry.
Perrin assured that the Centre would deploy its faculty, technical expertise and institutional resources to support NIMASA in achieving the objectives of the agreement.
The MoU is the culmination of several months 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 the ITC-ILO, Giuseppe Zefola, served as focal persons throughout the discussions, while the Regional Adviser and Technical Expert at the ILO, Dr. Amos Kuje, provided technical guidance that facilitated the successful conclusion of the agreement.
The partnership is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s implementation of international maritime labour standards, improve the capacity of maritime regulators and professionals, and support the Federal Government’s broader objective of developing a safer, more efficient and internationally competitive maritime industry.
