The International Maritime Institute of Nigeria (IMION) and the Admiralty University of Nigeria (ADUN) have entered into a strategic technical partnership aimed at strengthening professional capacity, research and practical expertise in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
The collaboration was unveiled during the maiden official visit of the IMION Director General, Rear Admiral Thaddeus Christopher Udofia (rtd), PhD, to the ADUN campus in Ibusa, Delta State, where he presented the institute’s strategic roadmap to the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Christopher Bankole Ndubuisi Ogbogbo.
The partnership brings together two institutions with strong links to the Nigerian Navy and is designed to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical maritime operations, while creating new opportunities for research, executive education and industry focused capacity development.
Udofia said the collaboration would open a new chapter in efforts to build a more skilled maritime workforce and support the development of Nigeria’s blue economy. He said IMION was committed to deepening local capacity, contributing to policy and regulatory development and helping the country unlock the economic opportunities available in its maritime resources.
The IMION Director General also commended the management of ADUN for the institution’s transformation and ongoing infrastructural expansion, describing the development on the campus as remarkable and strategically important to the university’s future.
Established by the Nigerian Navy in June 2024, IMION has trained more than 500 senior executives and government policymakers, according to the institute. Under the new partnership, both institutions are expected to commence specialised executive programmes from September 2026, with emphasis on translating maritime knowledge into practical industry solutions.
As part of the collaboration, IMION has invited the ADUN leadership to participate in its Executive Course on “Logistics and Trade Facilitation for Blue Economy Growth,” scheduled for September 7 to 9, 2026, at the IMION Auditorium, NNS QUORRA Complex, Apapa, Lagos.
The programme, which will provide hybrid and virtual participation options for local and international participants, is expected to deepen understanding of logistics, trade facilitation and other critical components required to expand Nigeria’s maritime economy and improve the country’s competitiveness.
Responding, Ogbogbo welcomed the partnership, describing it as timely and aligned with ADUN’s capacity building objectives. He said the university stood to benefit from IMION’s practical maritime experience, collaborative research opportunities and specialised manpower development initiatives.
He disclosed that the partnership would also facilitate the engagement of distinguished adjunct professors and visiting maritime scholars, while students of Naval Architecture at ADUN would undertake educational tours of shipbuilding facilities in Lagos and Port Harcourt to gain first hand exposure to ship design, construction and other aspects of the maritime industry.