The Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology (FCFMT), Lagos, has intensified efforts to bridge the skills and employment gap in Nigeria’s maritime sector by equipping students with practical and entrepreneurial skills to enhance their employability and self-reliance after graduation.
The institution, previously under the Ministry of Agriculture, is now under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, a development which has strengthened the college’s recognition and relevance within the maritime sector in Nigeria and Africa.
The Provost, Dr. Chuks Paul Onuoha, made this known during a courtesy visit by members of the Maritime Correspondents’ Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) to the institution.
The Provost, who was represented by the Deputy Provost (Academics), Dr. (Mrs) Adebowale Aderonke, said FCFMT has continued to produce graduates who occupy important positions across the maritime industry.
Onuoha noted that the college’s growing role within the maritime sector was reflected in interest from outside Nigeria, recalling that The Gambia explored sending students to Nigerian maritime institutions before choosing FCFMT after assessing its facilities and human resources.
He disclosed that the college had also expanded its academic programmes beyond fisheries and traditional maritime disciplines to meet the evolving manpower needs of the sector and the wider economy.
According to him, FCFMT currently offers programmes in maritime transport and business management, marine engineering, nautical science, mechanical engineering, computer science, hydrology and water resources management, fisheries, oceanography and fisheries technology, industrial and labour relations and public administration.
The Provost also highlighted the challenge of creating sufficient employment opportunities for maritime graduates in view of the number of vessels and trawlers available to absorb them.
Onuoha, however, stressed that the college’s responsibility was not only to produce graduates but also to prepare them with relevant skills for opportunities available within and outside the maritime sector.
On preparing students for employment, the Provost said the college was deliberately placing greater emphasis on practical skills and entrepreneurship across its programmes.
“We are developing skills as a solution for the different programmes, so that if you study marine engineering, you should be able to graduate with a skill. So that if you can’t go on board a vessel or get a job, you can at least get a business running”.
He pointed out that students in different programmes were already being encouraged to develop practical projects, citing the production of small metal boats by some marine students as an example.
He stated that the approach is not limited to maritime programmes, as students in other disciplines are also being equipped with practical skills that could provide additional income opportunities after graduation.
“Our computer students now learn skills, maybe to repair phones or computers, so that when they graduate, even if you are gainfully employed, you still have a skill that can fetch you something on the side”.
The Provost further disclosed that FCFMT is now operating as a Maritime Education and Training Institution (METI), following approval and accreditation by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
He said the approval had enabled the college to incorporate professional maritime training into its revised Nautical Science and Marine Engineering curricula.
Onuoha explained that the new curriculum integrates the relevant professional courses into the National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes, providing students with a more direct pathway to the required professional examinations after graduation.
He added that the college had also received approval for 16 other short courses and was awaiting the go-ahead from NIMASA to commence them.
The Provost revealed that FCFMT currently graduates hundreds of students across its maritime-related programmes, with about 300 at HND level and approximately 600 at ND level, stressing the importance of ensuring that graduates possess skills that can translate into meaningful economic opportunities.
On the college’s professional maritime training, he said FCFMT’s focus remained on producing competent graduates capable of contributing effectively to the maritime industry.
The Provost also said FCFMT’s entrepreneurship focus was in line with the broader requirement for students in NBTE-accredited institutions to acquire practical skills alongside their academic qualifications.
