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Nigeria’s commercial diving industry is seeking a clearer pathway for local diving schools to gain international recognition as the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) moves to deepen engagement with Nigerian operators, regulators and training institutions.
The discussions, held in Lagos on Thursday last week, during a visit by IMCA officials, focused on closing gaps in diver training, certification, competence assessment and safety standards that have limited the ability of Nigerian professionals and institutions to compete for international offshore opportunities.
Stakeholders said Nigeria already has significant commercial diving expertise and training capacity, but stronger collaboration with IMCA and other industry bodies is needed to align local institutions with internationally accepted requirements.
Speaking to journalists, IMCA Chief Executive Officer, Iain Grainger, identified diver training as one of the critical challenges confronting the industry and said the association would work with Nigerian trade associations, professional bodies and training establishments to better understand the gaps and develop practical solutions.
“We want to work together with the local trade associations and the local training establishments, and understand how we can fix this problem,” Grainger said.
He said the engagement would build on discussions with young Nigerians about careers in commercial diving, with the next phase focused on understanding industry challenges and strengthening local capacity.
The push for greater recognition comes as Nigerian operators seek to reduce dependence on overseas institutions for qualifications required for some international offshore operations.
Nigeria’s Chief Inspector of Diving, Julius Ugwala, said local diving schools had the capacity to meet IMCA requirements and should be given the opportunity to undergo the necessary assessment.
According to him, closer cooperation between IMCA and Nigerian institutions would help raise local standards while maintaining internationally recognised benchmarks.
The discussions covered training systems, facilities, instructors, diving equipment, safety procedures, quality assurance and competence assessment.
Representing the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Director of Occupational Health, Florence Owie, said government’s priority was to ensure commercial diving operations were conducted under conditions that protect divers and other personnel working in hazardous underwater environments.
She emphasised the need for properly trained and competent personnel, appropriate equipment and strict compliance with occupational safety requirements, noting that standards would have limited impact without effective implementation, monitoring and enforcement.
Senator Gbenga Daniel, who represented the Senate President, pledged legislative support for measures that could attract investment and strengthen the professional development of Nigeria’s diving industry.
Daniel described diving as a “noble profession” with significant economic potential and said the National Assembly was interested in creating an environment in which investors and industry players could thrive.
YoungShip Nigeria President, Shehu Popoola-Taiwo, said Nigeria’s 61 percent local content level in the oil and gas sector provides a strong foundation for expanding indigenous participation in the marine, offshore and blue economy sectors, particularly as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to unlock opportunities in the marine space.
He called for structured graduate programmes, mentorship and greater inclusion of young professionals in the marine and offshore industry, urging stakeholders to expose Nigeria’s growing youth population to opportunities across the sector, including commercial diving.
Retired Rear Admiral Joseph Ake also urged stakeholders to build on Nigeria’s existing commercial diving capability by strengthening indigenous training, competence and professional standards.
He said developing local capacity would create more opportunities for Nigerians, reduce reliance on foreign expertise and training, and support the growth of a stronger domestic subsea industry.
IMCA’s Africa Lead, Mary Ntamark, said the association was expanding its engagement with African stakeholders to gain a better understanding of the challenges facing the continent’s offshore and commercial diving industry.
She stressed that sustained collaboration between operators, professional associations and training institutions would be critical to developing a competitive African diving workforce.
For Nigerian operators, internationally credible local training could have significant commercial implications, including lower overseas training costs, wider access to international offshore contracts and increased participation of indigenous companies in the subsea value chain.
With Nigeria remaining a major African offshore oil and gas market, stakeholders said strengthening local commercial diving capacity could support demand for underwater inspection, construction, maintenance and repair services while positioning the country as a regional hub for subsea expertise.
