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UNN Vice Chancellor: Nigeria Cannot Afford to Ignore the Maritime Sector
UNN Vice Chancellor: Nigeria Cannot Afford to Ignore the Maritime Sector
By Emetena Ikuku | Waterways News Reporter
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof. Simon Ortuanya, has declared that the maritime industry is a critical driver of Nigeria’s economic future, warning that the nation’s higher institutions must urgently reposition themselves to take full advantage of the sector’s vast opportunities.
Ortuanya made the remarks at a recent event organised by UNN’s Institute of Maritime Studies, where he stressed that the university was determined not to be left behind as the global maritime economy continues to expand rapidly.
“The maritime industry is growing. UNN should not be left behind,” the Vice Chancellor said, underlining the institution’s commitment to deepening its presence in maritime education and research.
His comments come as UNN’s Institute of Maritime Studies announced the expansion of its academic programmes with five newly approved offerings — spanning Maritime Blue Economy, Maritime Disaster Risk Management, Maritime Economics and Trade, Marine Ocean Engineering, and Maritime Cruise, Tourism, Health and Hospitality Management. The programmes will run at certification, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters and PhD levels.
The Director of the Institute, Prof. Florence Orabueze, said the expansion was driven by the urgent need to equip academics and industry professionals with current knowledge and skills tailored to both local and international maritime realities. She also unveiled the maiden edition of the University of Nigeria Maritime Studies and Research Journal, which she described as a credible platform for publishing research with direct relevance to Nigeria’s waterways economy.
“We encourage our students, researchers and scholars to consider this journal as a platform for publishing their intellectual output. We must sustain our own initiatives to meet our socio-economic and environmental peculiarities,” Prof. Orabueze said.
The development at UNN aligns with a broader national push to position the maritime sector as a pillar of Nigeria’s economic diversification drive. With over 90 per cent of Nigeria’s trade conducted through maritime channels, industry stakeholders and government officials have consistently argued that unlocking the sector’s potential requires sustained investment in human capital and research.
For Waterways News readers, the UNN expansion represents a significant step toward building the pipeline of trained professionals that Nigeria’s ports, shipping lanes, inland waterways, and blue economy industries urgently need. As institutions across the country deepen their maritime offerings, the race to produce world-class Nigerian maritime talent — and reduce dependence on foreign expertise — is well and truly underway.