The International Maritime Institute of Nigeria (IMION) and the Admiralty University of Nigeria (ADUN) have entered into a technical partnership aimed at strengthening professional training, research and practical capacity in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
The partnership was announced during a recent visit by the IMION delegation to the ADUN campus in Ibusa, Delta State.
Director-General of IMION, Rear Admiral Thaddeus Christopher Udofia (rtd), PhD, presented the institute’s strategic roadmap to the Vice-Chancellor of ADUN, Professor Christopher Bankole Ndubuisi Ogbogbo, during the visit.
Udofia said the collaboration would provide an avenue for the two institutions to combine academic knowledge with practical maritime experience while contributing to the development of local expertise and Nigeria’s blue economy.
“This visit marks a new vista in our quest for excellence,” Udofia said.
“We are engineering a powerful synergy to deepen local capacity, shape industry regulations, and unlock the immense billion-dollar potential of Nigeria’s blue economy for national development.”
He also commended ADUN for its infrastructural development and ongoing campus modernisation, describing the expansion as significant to the university’s role in maritime education and training.
Established by the Nigerian Navy in June 2024, IMION has trained more than 500 senior executives and government policymakers, according to the institute.
The new partnership is expected to introduce specialised executive programmes aimed at strengthening maritime knowledge and connecting professional training with practical industry requirements. The programmes are scheduled to commence in September 2026.
As part of the collaboration, IMION has invited the ADUN leadership and other participants to its executive course, “Logistics and Trade Facilitation for Blue Economy Growth”.
The three-day programme is scheduled for 7–9 September 2026 at the IMION Auditorium, NNS QUORRA Complex, Apapa, Lagos. Participants will be able to attend physically or remotely.
Ogbogbo welcomed the partnership, saying it would support ADUN’s efforts to expand practical training, research and professional development.
“This partnership is exceptionally timely,” he said.
He said the university expected to benefit from IMION’s practical industry experience, joint research initiatives and manpower development programmes.
Ogbogbo added that the collaboration would include the engagement of distinguished adjunct professors and visiting maritime scholars to strengthen teaching and knowledge exchange at the university.
He also announced plans for ADUN students of naval architecture to undertake educational visits to shipbuilding facilities in Lagos and Port Harcourt.
The visits are expected to expose students to shipbuilding processes and provide practical experience that complements their academic training.
The partnership brings together two institutions with links to the Nigerian Navy and comes as Nigeria seeks to develop its maritime industry and maximise the economic opportunities associated with its blue economy.
