Maritime Training: MOWCA Secures $1.3m Scholarships from Indonesian Government for 96 Seafarers in West and Central Africa

By Raheem Ibrahim

The Secretary-General of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Dr. Paul Adalikwu, has secured scholarships worth $1.3 million from the Government of Indonesia for the training of 96 seafarers across West and Central African countries.

The scholarships, which will greatly benefit Nigerian seafarers and others in the region, cover two specialized training programmes.

Dr. Adalikwu, who disclosed this after signing an agreement with the Indonesian authorities, explained that the training slots would be distributed among MOWCA member states.

Providing a breakdown, he said the first course is a Training of Trainers (TOT) based on the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) model course 6.09, which focuses on training instructors in the maritime sector.

According to him, “The second scholarship course is a training for Assessment, Examination, and Certification of Seafarers based on IMO model course 3.12. It is designed for personnel from maritime administrations and training institutions responsible for seafarers’ certification, as well as officers involved in onboard assessments.”

He revealed that the programmes, divided into four batches of 24 participants each, will run on the following dates:

• TOT programme (IMO 6.09): Batch 1 – October 11 to 26, 2025; Batch 2 – November 1 to 16, 2025.
• Assessment and Certification training (IMO 3.12): Batch 1 – October 18 to November 2, 2025; Batch 2 – November 15 to 30, 2025.

On the essence of the initiative, Dr. Adalikwu stated: “The objective of these programmes is to ensure that Certificates of Competence issued to seafarers from the MOWCA region fully comply with the provisions of the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention.”

He added that the scholarships will cover the full cost of the programmes, including air transport, accommodation, tuition fees, and per diems.

The MOWCA Secretary-General also confirmed that maritime transport ministers across member states have been duly informed about the training opportunities and eligibility conditions, which include mandatory drug-free confirmation tests for applicants. He further noted that applications must be submitted no later than September 15, 2025.

Dr. Adalikwu described the scholarship grant from Indonesia’s Ministry of Transport as a milestone achievement, aimed at boosting the competence of seafarers and maritime instructors in the region.

Institutions slated to benefit from the programmes include MOWCA’s two academic institutions — the Regional Maritime University (RMU) in Ghana and the Regional Academy of Science & Technology of the Seas (ARSTM) in Côte d’Ivoire — as well as the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron.