The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is tightening the rules governing the education, training and certification of Nigerian seafarers as the country moves to bring its maritime workforce more closely in line with international standards.
The reforms are anchored on the Merchant Shipping (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) Regulations, 2025, which gives effect in Nigeria to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, as amended. The regulations were made on October 25, 2025.
Under the new framework, NIMASA is strengthening oversight of maritime education and training institutions while requiring seafarers to demonstrate the academic knowledge, practical skills and sea experience needed for their certificates.
NIMASA already supervises and accredits maritime training institutions and conducts examinations and certification for officers and ratings in accordance with the STCW framework.
The changes are significant for aspiring deck and engineering officers seeking Certificates of Competency (CoCs), professional credentials that establish a seafarer’s qualification to serve in specified capacities aboard ships. NIMASA’s qualification framework combines formal education and training with mandatory seagoing experience.
The agency is also reinforcing requirements around training records, medical fitness and certification, while maintaining controls over foreign certificates. Its existing framework requires valid medical certification and other competency evidence for certificate revalidation.
For maritime training institutions, the reforms raise the compliance burden. NIMASA requires approved institutions to operate within prescribed training and quality-assurance standards, with accreditation and monitoring forming part of the agency’s regulatory mandate.
The immediate economic significance extends beyond regulatory compliance. Higher and more consistent training standards could improve the international employability of Nigerian seafarers, strengthen confidence among shipowners and support Nigeria’s ambitions to expand participation in the global maritime economy.
The reforms also come as Nigeria seeks to deepen its blue economy, where a larger pool of internationally competitive maritime professionals could support shipping, offshore services and related industries.
NIMASA’s approach reflects a broader shift from simply increasing the number of trained seafarers to ensuring that qualifications are internationally credible, skills-based and supported by verifiable practical experience.
