IMION, ADUN Forge Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Nigeria’s Blue Economy Development
The International Maritime Institute of Nigeria (IMION) and the Admiralty University of Nigeria (ADUN) have entered into a strategic technical partnership aimed at strengthening maritime education, professional capacity development, research and industry collaboration in support of Nigeria’s growing blue economy.
The partnership was unveiled during IMION’s maiden official visit to the ADUN campus in Ibusa, Delta State, where senior officials of both institutions discussed areas of mutual cooperation and strategies for bridging the gap between academic knowledge and practical maritime industry requirements.
The visit was led by the Director-General of IMION, Rear Admiral Thaddeus Christopher Udofia (Rtd), Ph.D., who presented the institute’s strategic roadmap to the Vice-Chancellor of ADUN, Professor Christopher Bankole Ndubuisi Ogbogbo.
Speaking during the engagement, Rear Admiral Udofia described the partnership as a significant step towards repositioning Nigeria’s maritime sector through stronger collaboration between academia and industry.
He said the alliance would provide a platform for the two institutions to deepen local expertise, contribute to the development of effective maritime policies and regulations, and help Nigeria unlock the enormous economic opportunities within the blue economy.
“This visit marks a new vista in our quest for excellence. 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,” Udofia stated.
The IMION Director-General also commended the leadership of ADUN for what he described as remarkable transformation and extensive infrastructural development on the university’s campus.
According to him, the physical and institutional expansion taking place at the university demonstrates a strong commitment to building a world-class maritime-focused academic institution capable of producing professionals equipped to meet the evolving demands of the global maritime industry.
Established by the Nigerian Navy in June 2024, IMION has positioned itself as a platform for high-level maritime executive education and policy engagement. The institute has so far trained more than 500 C-suite executives and senior government policymakers.
Under the new partnership, both institutions are expected to introduce specialised executive programmes and other capacity-building initiatives designed to expose participants to contemporary global maritime practices while strengthening the practical application of academic knowledge.
The collaboration is expected to move into its implementation phase from September 2026, with executive education, joint research, professional development and practical industry exposure forming key components of the partnership.
The press statement was signed by
Bashir Ambi, FNIPR, FCILT, Ph.D
Head, Communications & Marketing, IMION.
As part of the initial engagement, IMION has also formally invited the leadership of ADUN to participate in its forthcoming executive programme titled “Logistics and Trade Facilitation for Blue Economy Growth.”
The three-day programme is scheduled to hold from September 7 to 9, 2026, at the IMION Auditorium, NNS QUORRA Complex, Apapa, Lagos. The programme will also provide hybrid and virtual participation opportunities for local and international participants.
Responding to the initiative, Professor Ogbogbo welcomed the IMION delegation and described the partnership as timely and strategically aligned with ADUN’s objectives in maritime education and manpower development.
The Vice-Chancellor said the university stood to benefit significantly from IMION’s practical industry experience, research opportunities and advanced professional development programmes.
“This partnership is exceptionally timely. ADUN will harvest profound benefits from IMION’s practical field knowledge, joint research opportunities, and advanced manpower development,” Ogbogbo said.
He added that the institutional collaboration would include the engagement of distinguished adjunct professors and visiting maritime scholars who would contribute to the university’s academic and professional programmes.
Professor Ogbogbo further disclosed that students of Naval Architecture at ADUN would embark on educational visits to shipbuilding facilities in Lagos and Port Harcourt.
The proposed tours are expected to give the students first-hand exposure to ship design, construction, engineering processes and other practical aspects of the shipbuilding industry, thereby complementing classroom-based learning.
The partnership between IMION and ADUN is expected to create a stronger connection between maritime academia, government, industry and professional institutions, while providing a platform for developing the specialised human capital required to drive Nigeria’s maritime economy.
With Nigeria possessing significant maritime resources and strategic access to regional and international trade routes, stakeholders have increasingly identified investment in skills development, research, innovation and maritime infrastructure as critical to maximising the country's blue economy potential.
The IMION-ADUN collaboration therefore represents an effort to position education and professional capacity development at the centre of Nigeria’s maritime transformation agenda.
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