The Nigerian Ship Management Ltd. (NSML) says its Maritime Centre of Excellence (MCOE) in Bonny, Rivers State has secured the UK’s Nautical Institute certification for Dynamic Positioning training.
The NSML Managing Director, Abdul-Kadir Ahmed, who announced the milestone at a Lagos press conference on Thursday, called it a landmark for manpower development and a major boost for Nigeria’s maritime sector.
He said the certification would help domesticate international maritime expertise, adding that Nigerian professionals could now compete globally without travelling abroad for training.
Ahmed said that the MCOE served as a one-stop hub, adding that it focused on training, research, competency development, and specialised maritime projects.
The NSML boss said that over the years, MCOE had evolved into West Africa’s most advanced facilities and now had cutting-edge simulators and modern learning infrastructure.
“The UK accreditation authorises DP induction, simulator training, revalidation, and vessel maintenance courses. Few regional centres offer this full package.
“Industry stakeholders described the approval as strong endorsement. It confirms the centre’s training quality, rigour, and global standards compliance,” he said.
Ahmed noted that global demand for competence was rising, therefore seafarers and offshore personnel must meet higher safety and operational excellence benchmarks.
“MCOE already holds DNV ISO 9001 certification for quality management. It also complies with DNV ST-0029 for maritime simulator and training standards.
“The centre runs MCA-accredited programmes too. These cover tanker operations, human element leadership, high-voltage training, and advanced maritime operational skills.
“The certification gives Nigerians globally accepted qualifications. This improves their employability on international vessels and offshore installations worldwide,” he said.
Ahmed noted that local training would reduce foreign exchange spending and cut dependence on overseas institutions while building domestic capacity.
He said that the NSML considered this as responsibility, not just celebration, and pledged to keep raising standards and expanding access to maritime training.
He noted that NSML key vision remained domesticating global maritime skills, adding that the organisation was created for Nigerians to meet world standards at home.
Ahmed added that the NSML would pursue full MCA accreditation for MCOE as the goal was a complete one-stop centre cementing Nigeria’s status as Africa’s maritime hub.
