The NLNG Shipping and Marine Services Limited (NSML) has re-launched the Seafarers Cadetship Development Programme (SCDP) aimed at bridging the global manpower gap and enhancing competitiveness in international trade.
About 21 cadets were inducted into the scheme, with 13 selected from the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Akwa Ibom State and eight others from the Nigerian Maritime University (NMU), Delta State, who will go onboard the NLNG and NSML vessels abroad for seatime training and upgrade their skills to navigate the changing technology landscape.
Speaking at the induction ceremony of the new cadets, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, NSML, Abdulkadir Ahmed, said the cadetship scheme is designed to provide a comprehensive and structured learning programme, equipping them with the skills, knowledge and expertise required to excel in this dynamic industry.
He said the scheme was originally conceived to support the development of competent Nigerian seafarers capable of meeting global standards while ensuring the safe and reliable transportation of energy products as well as building sustainable maritime capacity in Nigeria.
Ahmed explained that seafarers are the lifeblood of the shipping industry, serving as a fulcrum for the growth and development of both the Nigerian and, by extension,the global shipping industry.
Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, NIMASA, Mr. Jubril Abba, emphasised the urgent need for Nigeria to deepen investment in maritime manpower development, as the Philippines has become a global leader that currently supplies about 25 per cent of the world’s seafaring workforce.
Abba stressed that the Philippines’ dominance in global seafaring is the result of deliberate long-term training, policies and human capacity development, which Nigeria must learn from.
Abba said this should serve as a wake-up call to Nigeria on the potential economic value in developing its maritime labour force, not only for national fleet support but also for participation in international shipping manpower supply.
Acting Rector of the MAN, Dr. Kevin Okonna, said the renewed cadetship placement opportunities for seafarers will significantly address the long-standing challenge of sea-time training for cadets.
Okonna said the scheme and formal agreement between the academy and the NSML for the training of MAN Oron cadets now creates two reliable pathways for training Nigerian cadets.
He noted that this development aligns strongly with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) expectations, as competent human capital remains the backbone of the global shipping industry.
Okonna lamented that many Nigerian cadets had in the past abandoned the profession after graduation because they could not secure sea-time placements.
On current figures, Okonna revealed that the academy plans to train up to 40 cadets in batches under the renewed agreement, with no fewer than 20 cadets expected in the first phase.
Vice-Chancellor of the Nigeria Maritime University (NMU), Okerenkoko, Prof. Flora Oluwafemi, lauded the NSML initiative, noting that the programme would expose NMU cadets to real-time industrial learning, unlike the largely theory-based training that had characterised Nigeria’s educational system for years.
She described the initiative as a long-awaited bridge between theory and real-sector experience.
