Africa’s Maritime Skills Gap: NSML Demands New Training Model

Africa must urgently overhaul its approach to maritime manpower development by integrating quality education, international certification, practical sea-time, technology, research and industry partnerships to bridge the continent’s widening skills gap.

The Managing Director of Nigerian Shippers’ Council-linked maritime services company, Nigerian Maritime Services Limited (NSML), Abdulkadir Ahmed, made the call in Lagos, warning that traditional classroom-based training alone could no longer produce professionals capable of meeting the demands of a rapidly changing global maritime industry.

Ahmed spoke in a paper titled “Overview of the NSML MCOE: Positive Disruption in Africa’s Maritime Manpower Development,” presented on his behalf by the Manager, Maritime Centre of Excellence (MCOE), Dr Effiong Ekanem-Attah, at the 2026 Maritime Training Summit of the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON).
The summit, held on Friday, had as its theme: “The Power of Innovation in a Future-Ready Maritime Training Agenda.”

According to Ahmed, Africa’s maritime sector continues to grapple with inadequate access to quality training, limited simulator facilities, accreditation constraints and a shortage of opportunities for practical sea-time, all of which undermine the competitiveness of African maritime professionals in the global labour market.

He said the industry was being transformed by digitalisation, decarbonisation, automation and increasingly stringent safety requirements, making it imperative for maritime professionals to acquire competencies that go beyond theoretical knowledge.

“Effective maritime manpower development must be built around an ecosystem that combines education, certification, practical exposure, mentorship, technology, research and industry collaboration,” he said.

Ahmed explained that the NSML Maritime Centre of Excellence was established as a one-stop maritime research, consultancy and training institution to address some of the structural deficiencies confronting maritime manpower development in Nigeria and across Africa.

He said the centre’s model integrates classroom instruction with simulator-based training, sea-time development, professional certification support, research, consultancy and industry partnerships.

The objective, he noted, is to create a structured progression from theoretical learning to practical vessel operations while providing maritime professionals with access to qualifications that meet international standards.

Ahmed said the MCOE’s international accreditations and specialised training facilities had significantly expanded access to advanced maritime training within Nigeria.

He also highlighted the centre’s Seafarers Continuous Development Programme, which provides structured sea-time opportunities for cadets seeking to complete their professional certification requirements.

Under the programme, 272 cadets have completed their sea-time training, while another 54 are currently either in college or onboard vessels working towards professional certification.

The NSML boss further linked manpower development to the company’s Nigerianisation policy, disclosing that NSML employed more than 700 Nigerian seafarers as of August 2026.

Beyond training, he said the MCOE had expanded into maritime research, intelligence and consultancy, offering services covering shipbuilding supervision, commercial project evaluation, dry-docking supervision, vessel lifecycle support, as well as crew and vessel management advisory.

Ahmed said the centre’s planned expansion, with support from the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), would increase its training capacity, introduce additional courses and broaden its professional services.

The ultimate goal, he said, was to make most, if not all, internationally recognised maritime certifications obtainable in Nigeria.

He stressed that developing a competitive African maritime workforce would require sustained collaboration between governments, training institutions, shipping companies, regulators and industry stakeholders.

For Africa, he said, the challenge was no longer simply producing more maritime graduates, but developing a workforce equipped with the practical skills, technological competence and internationally recognised qualifications required to compete for opportunities in an increasingly sophisticated global maritime industry.