The Governing Council of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, has expressed serious concerns over plans to convert the institution into a university, warning that the move could undermine decades of specialised maritime training and jeopardise statutory funding from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

At a media briefing, Council Chairman Kehinde Akinola said the proposal risks diluting MAN’s international reputation and specialised mandate, which is central to the Federal Government’s Marine and Blue Economy agenda. He emphasised that replacing MAN with a conventional University of Maritime Studies could weaken its regimented cadet training system and threaten longstanding international collaborations.

“Such a conversion would distort MAN’s specialised mandate and compromise the quality of training that the Academy has been providing for over four decades,” Akinola said.

Akinola noted that MAN’s statutory five per cent allocation from NIMASA would no longer apply under a university structure, creating serious operational challenges for an institution that relies heavily on these funds for maintaining its training facilities and infrastructure.

Established in 1977 with technical support from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), MAN Oron was designed as a specialised maritime training institution for cadets, shipboard officers, and maritime managers. Its enabling Act already empowers the Academy to run advanced programmes and award certificates in line with global maritime standards.

While acknowledging the development aspirations of youths in Oron Local Government, Akinola stressed that national maritime priorities must take precedence over local interests. He also expressed concern over recent protests by the Oron Youth Movement (OYOM), warning that tensions around the conversion debate risk disrupting the Academy’s operations and federal policy direction.

Since October 2024, the Academy has implemented a five-year strategic plan aligned with national blue economy goals and secured approval for a Conditions of Service document, its first in 48 years. A bill to amend the UMSO Act, reaffirm MAN’s status, and empower it to award degrees—similar to the Nigerian Defence Academy and Police Academy—has already passed its first reading at the National Assembly.

Highlighting MAN’s community engagement, Akinola cited the restoration of electricity to Oron after eight years and installation of solar-powered streetlights as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Citing global examples, he pointed to specialised maritime academies such as the United States Merchant Marine Academy, the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, and Kenya’s Bandari Maritime Academy, which award degrees while maintaining regimented training systems—demonstrating that MAN can achieve similar status without conversion.

“We will not be intimidated or cowed by any group attempting to appropriate a national asset for narrow interests,” Akinola said.

The Alumni Association of MAN, Oron (AMANO) has also expressed opposition. In a July 2025 open letter to President Bola Tinubu, the association warned that converting MAN under the Ministry of Education could violate IMO regulations, compromise STCW Convention compliance, and jeopardise Nigeria’s global maritime standing.

AMANO highlighted risks including loss of international accreditation, dilution of specialised training, reduced global competitiveness for Nigerian cadets, and potential national security implications, noting that conventional universities cannot fully replicate MAN’s technical expertise and facilities.

The Oron community had celebrated in 2021 when both chambers of the National Assembly passed a bill upgrading MAN to a university, a decision later gazetted in May 2023. However, the Governing Council and alumni insist that any future reforms must safeguard MAN’s specialised mandate and its critical role in Nigeria’s maritime sector.