NCDMB Commissions 60-Bed Hostel, Internet Service, Ambulance Boat at Nigeria Maritime University

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has commissioned and handed over a 60-bed students' hostel, a campus-wide internet service and a TMS 30 Ambulance Boat to the Nigeria Maritime University (NMU), Okerenkoko, in Delta State, reaffirming its commitment to human capital development and institutional capacity building in the country's maritime and oil and gas sectors.

The projects, commissioned on Thursday, were executed under the Board's institutional strengthening initiative aimed at enhancing educational infrastructure and promoting indigenous capacity development in line with the provisions of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, 2010.

Representing the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, at the ceremony, the Board's Manager, Institutional Strengthening Division, Engr. Dokubo Obongo, said the intervention reflects NCDMB's deliberate investment in Nigeria's human capital and commitment to strengthening institutions that will drive the nation's maritime, energy and blue economy sectors.

According to him, the projects extend beyond the provision of physical infrastructure, as they are designed to strengthen the university's capacity to produce globally competitive graduates capable of meeting the manpower needs of Nigeria's maritime and oil and gas industries.

He noted that the facilities including the 60-bed hostel, the TMS 30 Ambulance Boat and the campus-wide internet service address three critical pillars of academic excellence: student welfare, operational safety and digital transformation.

"The objective was not merely to provide infrastructure, but to strengthen the University's capacity to produce globally competitive graduates capable of meeting the evolving manpower requirements of Nigeria's maritime and energy industries," he said.

Obongo added that the projects would help position Nigeria as a regional centre of excellence for maritime education and research while reinforcing NCDMB's resolve to continue partnering with higher institutions to develop indigenous capacity and promote innovation.

He urged the university community to safeguard and maintain the facilities to ensure they continue to serve future generations of students.

On her part, the Vice-Chancellor of the Nigeria Maritime University, Prof. Flora Tobolayefa Oluwafemi, described the projects as a major milestone in the institution's development and expressed appreciation to the Federal Government and NCDMB for their unwavering support.

She said the intervention demonstrates the Federal Government's commitment to advancing maritime education under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda.

"As the premier maritime university in Nigeria and the West African sub-region, our mandate is to produce top-tier professionals for the maritime and oil and gas sectors. Providing a conducive living and learning environment for our students has always been a critical priority," she said.

According to the Vice-Chancellor, the newly commissioned hostel significantly expands the university's capacity to accommodate students, while the campus-wide internet service will revolutionise teaching, learning and research.

She described the internet facility as a "game changer," noting that it would provide students and staff with access to maritime databases, support modern e-learning platforms, enable virtual simulations essential for maritime training and improve communication across the university.

Prof. Oluwafemi said the investments represent a direct contribution to the future of Nigeria's maritime and oil and gas sectors and urged students, who are the primary beneficiaries, to reciprocate the gesture through academic excellence, discipline and responsible use of the facilities.

She also commended the Delta State Government, host communities, project consultants and contractors for their support in ensuring the successful completion of the projects.

The commissioning ceremony attracted government officials, representatives of the Delta State Government, principal officers of the university, members of the academic community, students and other stakeholders from the maritime and oil and gas sectors and was concluded by the registrar Dr Paul Bebenimibo closing remark thanking all the dignitaries that were present at the commissioning event.

The intervention is expected to improve students' welfare, strengthen research and digital learning, enhance operational safety and further consolidate Nigeria Maritime University's role as a leading institution for maritime education and manpower development in Africa.