Nigeria LNG Ship Management Limited says it now employs more than 700 qualified Nigerian seafarers as it expands training and certification through its Maritime Centre of Excellence on Bonny Island.
Managing Director Abdulkadir Ahmed disclosed the figures while speaking at the 2026 Maritime Training Institute organized by the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria.
Ahmed said the Centre was created to address persistent shortages of internationally certified maritime professionals in Nigeria and across Africa.
He identified limited access to modern training, simulators, sea-time opportunities, accreditation and practical vessel experience as major obstacles facing aspiring seafarers.
The Centre combines classroom instruction with simulator-based training, sea-time development, professional certification, research, consultancy and industry partnerships.
According to Ahmed, 272 cadets have completed sea-time training under the Seafarers Continuous Development Program, while another 54 are either in college or aboard vessels progressing toward professional certification.
The program is implemented through partnerships that include the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron.
The Centre has also invested in bridge and engine-room simulators and Dynamic Positioning systems designed to recreate navigation, engineering and emergency scenarios.
Ahmed said international accreditations had allowed more specialist maritime qualifications to be obtained within Nigeria rather than requiring professionals to travel abroad.
NSML is pursuing a further expansion project with support from the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board.
The objective, he said, was to widen course offerings and make most international maritime certifications available locally.
Beyond training, the Centre provides consultancy and technical services covering shipbuilding supervision, dry-docking, vessel lifecycle support, project evaluation and crew management.
NSML said the wider strategy was to create a structured pipeline of Nigerian maritime professionals capable of competing internationally while reducing dependence on expatriate skills.
