Thirty-four beneficiaries of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) have earned their Certificates of Competency, ending a prolonged period of uncertainty that had stalled their maritime careers for nearly a decade. The breakthrough came after intervention by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), which deployed the cadets to an overseas training facility to satisfy the mandatory sea-time requirements that had blocked their certification.
The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, received the newly certified officers during an appreciation visit in Lagos. He described them as worthy ambassadors of Nigeria, praising their professionalism, resilience, and character in the face of extended setbacks. Mobereola commended the officers for choosing growth over discouragement despite enduring nearly a decade of professional paralysis.
"You have weathered the storm; the future will be easier for you. We are proud of you," Mobereola told the officers, urging them to maintain discipline and commitment to excellence. He called on the certified seafarers to serve as mentors to younger cadets entering the programme, emphasizing that Nigeria's maritime sector requires skilled professionals capable of competing on the global stage.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Edet Uttibe Michael recounted the frustrating ordeal the group had endured. After graduating from maritime institutions in Romania, many of the cadets spent approximately eight years unable to secure the sea-time placements required for certification. The lengthy delay had cast doubt on their futures within the shipping industry.
Michael credited the current NIMASA leadership with restoring hope and enabling the group to achieve their professional ambitions. "We came to express our sincere appreciation for your magnanimity. You gave us hope and made our dreams come true," he said.
The certification initiative that resolved the bottleneck began in 2024, when NIMASA deployed 40 cadets to Tyne Coast College's South Shields Marine School in the United Kingdom. The placement at the specialist maritime training institution was widely recognized as a turning point in addressing the persistent sea-time shortage affecting NSDP beneficiaries. Of the 40 cadets sent overseas, 34 successfully completed their training and passed the certification examinations, securing their Certificates of Competency and clearing the path to active seafaring careers.