A university don, Prof. Emmanuel Onwioduokit, has said that the upgrade of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) into a specialised maritime university is both globally supported and economically beneficial to the country.

Onwioduokit responded to recent remarks by the Chairman of the Governing Council of MAN, Oron, Kehinde Akinola, who opposed the proposed upgrade of the institution, describing it as based on assumptions rather than verifiable facts.

He argued that global maritime education standards clearly demonstrate that upgrading academies into universities strengthens rather than weakens training systems.

Onwioduokit maintained that concerns that the upgrade would dilute seafarer training are unfounded, noting that leading maritime institutions worldwide successfully combine academic degree programmes with rigorous professional training.

He cited examples such as the World Maritime University in Sweden, the Korea Maritime & Ocean University, and the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport, all of which operate hybrid systems that integrate academic degrees with professional cadet and seafarer training without compromising standards.

According to him, these institutions have not only maintained training quality but have expanded their capacity, international reputation, and relevance within the global maritime industry.

The professor further argued that Nigeria, despite being Africa’s largest economy with a vast coastline and strategic presence in the Gulf of Guinea, still lacks sufficient specialised maritime universities, a gap he described as a major institutional weakness in the country’s blue economy development.

He said the absence of such institutions limits Nigeria’s ability to produce a critical mass of maritime professionals, including marine engineers, naval architects, logistics experts, maritime security specialists, and policy researchers needed to drive the sector.

Onwioduokit also noted that the current structure of the Maritime Academy limits its growth potential, particularly in degree awarding, postgraduate studies, research funding, and international academic collaboration.

He explained that upgrading the institution to a university would unlock opportunities for accredited degree programmes, expand research centres, improve access to global funding, advance laboratories, and strengthen partnerships with international maritime bodies.

Addressing concerns over professional certification, he assured that Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) programmes would not be weakened but rather enhanced under a university system, with improved simulators, upgraded facilities, stronger industry linkages, and modernised curricula aligned with global standards.

The don also emphasised the economic importance of the proposed upgrade, stating that Nigeria’s blue economy, which includes shipping, logistics, port operations, fisheries, offshore energy, shipbuilding, marine tourism, and maritime security, requires a highly skilled workforce and continuous research and innovation.