FCFMT Records 1,200 Fresh Students as Fisheries College Marks Highest Admission in Its History

The Federal College of Fisheries and Maritime Technology (FCFMT), Victoria Island, has matriculated 1,200 students for the 2025/2026 academic session, the highest number in the Institution's history and a sharp contrast to the 298 students who matriculated in the 2019/2020 session.

Provost Dr Onuoha Paul Chuks described the figure as a milestone that reflects deliberate institutional growth, noting that the college has expanded its academic programmes from seven to 15 and established two additional departments since the current administration came on board. He attributed the progress in part to President Bola Tinubu's directive to align the college with the newly created Marine and Blue Economy Ministry.

On International partnerships, the Provost pointed to active Memoranda of Understanding with the University of Lagos, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Chisquares Incorporated in Atlanta, United States, and Winrock International, which he said provide pathways for research collaboration and degree awards in relevant programmes.

A significant development for graduating students came in the Provost's announcement that the college has secured NIMASA and IMO approval for its National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and professional programmes. He noted that the College's newly acquired Full Mission Bridge Simulator Class A, once fully certified by NIMASA, will allow Students to sit their Certificate of Competency examinations locally, ending the costly practice of travelling abroad to write the assessments in foreign currency.

Chairman of the Governing Board, Hon MacDonald Ebere, told the incoming students that their chosen disciplines sit at the centre of Nigeria's economic future. "Nigeria is blessed with vast marine and inland water resources. Our oceans, rivers, and coastal ecosystems hold enormous potential for food security, employment, technology advancement, and economic growth," he said, describing FCFMT as the Institution built to convert that potential into skilled professional capacity.

The Provost closed his address with a direct charge to the 1,200 new students. "In two years, we look forward to seeing you graduate as competent, confident, and globally competitive professionals, ready to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria's maritime and fisheries sectors," he said.