The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has signed a landmark memorandum of understanding with the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organisation (ITC-ILO) to accelerate human capacity development across the nation’s maritime sector.
NIMASA Director-General Dayo Mobereola, represented by Executive Director of Finance and Administration Chudi Offodile at the signing ceremony in Turin, Italy, affirmed that investment in skilled personnel remains central to the agency’s vision for a resilient and globally competitive industry. The agreement, he said, will deliver targeted technical assistance, training, and institutional capacity-building for staff and key stakeholders, with a particular focus on maritime labour inspectors, policymakers, and trainers.
“This partnership directly advances our objective of structured, targeted capacity development,” Mr Mobereola stated. He added that NIMASA is harnessing the ITC-ILO’s global expertise to strengthen the interpretation and implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, as amended, ensuring that the resultant knowledge and systems yield measurable improvements for the sector.
ITC-ILO Director Christopher Perrin welcomed the collaboration, pledging to deploy the centre’s full faculty and resources in support of Nigeria’s sustainable development goals. The MoU follows extensive strategic engagements between the two bodies, with NIMASA’s Executive Director of Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Jibril Abba, and ITC-ILO training head Giuseppe Zefola serving as focal points, alongside technical guidance from ILO Regional Adviser Dr Amos Kuje.
The agreement marks a significant step towards equipping Nigerian maritime professionals with the competencies required to meet emerging global demands and uphold international labour standards.