African Shipowners Unveil Continental Cadetship Scheme to Build Skilled Maritime Workforce

The African Shipowners Association (ASA) has announced a continent-wide cadetship and crew development programme aimed at tackling the chronic shortage of skilled maritime professionals across Africa.

Speaking with The Punch, Captain Ladi Olubowale, President of ASA’s Nigeria Chapter, explained that the initiative will connect African cadets to vessels under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework. This will enable young seafarers to gain the mandatory sea-time experience required for professional certification and career growth.

“No fleet can grow without capable human resources. ASA recognises that skills development is the backbone of fleet expansion. We are therefore implementing a continental cadetship and crew development programme through our members, connecting African cadets to ships under a PPP framework. This ensures practical sea-time experience is a prerequisite for certification and career progression. The goal is to create a sustainable human capital pipeline for Africa’s future fleets,” said Captain Olubowale.

Driving Maritime Excellence Across Africa

According to him, several training initiatives are already being implemented by ASA member companies to build human capital across technical, operational, and managerial levels. The association also plans to establish centres of excellence for maritime operations, fleet management, and green shipping technologies—ensuring African maritime professionals remain competitive in the global market.

Olubowale described the next five years as a defining period for African shipowners, pointing to new opportunities in:

• Coastal logistics and ferry expansion under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

• Green energy and bunkering corridors

• Ship repair and retrofitting

• Strategic fleet cooperation for intra-African and intercontinental trade routes

“ASA’s mission is to ensure that African shipowners are financially empowered, operationally capable, and technologically ready to seize these opportunities. These elements form the foundation of a lasting legacy for ship ownership in Africa,” he added.

“We believe that the future of Africa’s shipping is not a distant dream—it is a reality already unfolding, shaped by the courage and collaboration of African shipowners determined to own their seas, shape their trade, and drive their prosperity.”

Tackling Skill Gaps and Industry Challenges

The initiative follows research by the Sea Empowerment Research Center, which identified a lack of skilled manpower and weak investment as key barriers to maritime industry growth in Nigeria. Although the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has achieved progress in areas like maritime security and port efficiency—through reforms such as the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Act and the rollout of integrated surveillance systems—issues of corruption, inefficiency, and limited resources continue to challenge the sector.

Across the continent, the shortage of skilled seafarers remains one of the most pressing concerns hampering Africa’s maritime competitiveness. The ASA’s new cadetship and crew development programme aims to reverse this trend by equipping the next generation of African mariners with the technical expertise, practical experience, and confidence to build a resilient maritime future.

The African Shipowners Association serves as the umbrella body uniting, representing, and advancing the interests of indigenous shipowners and maritime stakeholders across Africa—driving a shared vision of African ownership and leadership in global shipping.