Former NIMASA DG calls for validation of maritime expertise

Former NIMASA Director-General and CEO, Dakuku Peterside, has called for the formal validation of maritime expertise in Nigeria to align local competencies with global standards.

Peterside made the call at the Omniversity Imperial College’s 2025 African Education Innovation Workshop and ISO-Aligned Practice Qualifications Conferment held in Lagos. 

He emphasised that building capacity today is essential to preparing Nigeria’s workforce for the jobs of tomorrow.

“The kind of work that our children will be exposed to, and competing for, currently, do not exist. So today’s work, if we don’t have capacity, we’re certainly not going to compete for tomorrow’s work,” he said.

Highlighting the sector’s economic importance, Peterside noted that Nigeria’s maritime industry underpins trade, logistics, and offshore energy operations. 

He said that in 2024, 98 per cent of Nigeria’s exports moved via sea, and globally, 70–75 per cent of cargo between nations is seaborne. 

The sector contributes nearly $44 billion to GDP and supports over 40,000 direct and indirect jobs, with a gap of approximately 96,000 trained professionals.

Peterside stressed that practice-based qualifications, unlike purely academic degrees, assess demonstrable expertise, leadership impact, and practical achievements. 

He said NIMASA’s certification framework aligns with Omniversity Imperial College’s bachelor, master, doctor, and professor of practice models to provide dual recognition of maritime skills both academically and professionally.

“By integrating Omniversity’s practice validation with NIMASA’s technical certification, maritime expertise gains global recognition, enhancing international employment mobility,” he said.

Peterside urged maritime institutions in Nigeria to affiliate with Omniversity to create a hub for applied learning and professional certification, supporting the country’s blue economy expansion, human capital development, and potential export of maritime talent.

He added that adopting practice-based qualification will improve operational efficiency, reduce accidents, enhance international trust, promote local content, and strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global maritime sector.

“By prioritising collaboration in this area, Nigeria can cultivate a new generation of highly skilled individuals ready to lead the blue economy,” Peterside concluded.