Secretary General of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Dr Paul Adalikwu has restated the organisation’s resolve to bridge all the maritime human capital gap through collaboration and synergies among training institutions in West and Central Africa.
The MOWCA SG who was speaking at the opening session of a four day exchange visit of the Regional Maritime University, Accra and Academie Regionale Des Scientists Et Techniques De La Mer, Abidjan to the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron said Over 90% of the region’s trade is carried by sea, yet it’s capacity to fully harness the benefits of it’s vast domain depends largely on the quality of human capital it develops
While expressing optimism for progress through synergy, Adalikwu identified some challenges of maritime training challenges including digital transformation and emerging maritime technologies; decarbonization and environmental compliance and maritime security concerns in the Gulf of Guinea.
He also identified the increasing global standards for training and certification as a level attainable through synergies that would open opportunities for recognition of certification leading to maritime jobs and job placement for African youths.
According to the MOWCA SG, the collaboration will provide a unique platform to harmonise curricula and training standards; promote faculty and student exchanges; share infrastructure, research outputs, and best practices; develop joint certification programmes aligned with international standards and strengthen regional identity in maritime education and training.
Speaking further, Adalikwu said “Ultimately, what we seek to build is not just cooperation—but a cohesive regional maritime knowledge ecosystem.
“MOWCA remains firmly committed to supporting initiatives that enhance maritime capacity and institutional collaboration across our member states. This aligns with our broader strategic priorities, including:
the development of a skilled maritime workforce; promotion of safe, secure, and efficient shipping; strengthening regional integration; providing the needed capacity for the promotion of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Intra-African trade” he said.
He added that the synergy will further research into African contributions in finding solutions to the discussion on alternative fuel energy sources;
supporting the establishment of sustainable maritime institutions, including initiatives such as the proposed Regional Maritime Development Bank
Acting Rector of MAN Oron, Dr Kevin Okonna described the maiden edition of the exchange visit being hosted in Nigeria as a honour which aims to establish collaboration among the maritime training institutions in the region and across the globe
Okonna recalled that in November 2025, MAN Oron hosted officials from the RMU Ghana at its 2025 graduation ceremony where a memorandum of understanding was entered into and close to full consumption.
He also stated that Nigeria’s premier MTI visited the Liberian Maritime Administration for a similar synergy aimed at enhancing increased global recognition of certification of the institutions.
He commended MOWCA for further enhancing the drive to harmonise maritime education and training in the West and Central African region while expressing confidence that the presentations, panel discussions and interactions will further promote knowledge in areas like the Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping (STCW) as amended
Okonna expressed belief that the synergies would lead to lecturer and students exchange, social and cultural interaction and promotion of unity in the region’s maritime ecosystem
L-R: Chief Kehinde Akinola, Chairman Governing Council of Maritime Academy of Nigeria; Dr Paul Adalikwu, Secretary General, MOWCA and Dr Kevin Okonna, Acting Rector, MAN Oron at the opening session of the inaugural exchange visits of maritime training institutions from Ghana and Cote D’Iviore at Oron on Monday
Acting Vice Chancellor of the RMU, Dr Jethro Brooks lauded MOWCA’s intervention and called all training institutions in the region to emulate the new drive for rapid development of the African continent.
He added that the challenges of Africa are better addressed through collaboration than isolation, shared resources, aligned training curricula and harmonies.
He stated that RMU stands in a unique position to advance the objectives of the meeting for improved, highly skilled and globally competitive human capital for maritime education and training in Africa and beyond.
Colonel Coulibally Kareem, the Director General of the Abidjan-based Regional Academy of Marine Sciences and Technology lauded the MOWCA SG for laying a cornerstone for a sustainable relationship to grow African maritime training for relevance at the international stage.
Coulibally said it’s an opportunity to compare training curricula and find solutions to the challenges of maritime training in the region while restating the academy’s full support for the initiative.
Mr William Azuh a former Head, African Section, Subdivision for Maritime Development at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) described the meeting as timely and a bold step towards maritime training development for MOWCA member countries and beyond.
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