In this article, all you need to know about Nigerian COC will be discussed. It will detail all necessary steps that must be taken to obtain the Nigerian COC.
The STCW Manilla Convention (2010) sets out the training standard and shipboard competencies that must be met in line with new technological and operational requirements. One of such important documentation for seafarers is the Certificate of Competency (COC). The international Convention on standards of training, Certification, and Watch keeping for Seafarers 9STCW 78/95 amended), is the regulation of the International maritime Organization (IMO) which ensures standardized training of seafarers.
Competency is the possession of required skill, knowledge, qualification, or capacity in a specific job role.
Nigeria’s Seafarer Certificate of competency is issued with compliance to the IMO regulations by the Nigerian maritime administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The Nigerian seafarer Certificate of Competency issued by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is primarily undergone by Nigerian Seafarers with little or no patronage from foreigners.
The NIMASA headquarter is located at Maritime House; 4, Burma Road, Apapa, Lagos. NIMASA also operates in branch offices at waterside and Kirikiri in lagos state as well as in Calabar, Rivers state and Delta State.
As earlier stated, the Nigerian COC has a limitation at the Class II and Class I levels. This limits the seafarers in possession of such certificates to Near Coastal Voyages (NCV). This has been the major problem of the Nigerian Seafarer’s certificate.
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ABOUT NIMASA
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), formerly the National Maritime Authority (NMA) is responsible for regulations related to Nigerian shipping, maritime labor and coastal waters. The agency also undertakes inspections and provides search and rescue services. The governing board includes representatives of the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Transport and the Nigerian Navy.
The Agency was created from the merger of National Maritime Authority and Joint Maritime Labour Industrial Council (former parastatals of the Federal Ministry of Transport) on the 1st August 2006. The obligation of regulating the Maritime industry in Nigeria rests on the Agency through the relevant instruments. These instruments include Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act (2007), Merchant Shipping Act (2007) and the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003.
The present Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency is Dr. Bashir Jamoh.
The Pros and Cons of obtaining the Nigerian COC
Some of the reasons why seafarers undergo their competency examination in Nigeria include;
- The course fee is relatively cheaper in cost as compared to the competency cost in other countries.
- The Cost of Living in Nigeria is moderate.
- Seafarers are not mandated to undergo courses (other than the basic certificates required for each rank) before being issued the certificate of Competency.
- No need for Visa and travel tickets which are extra expenditure to the seafarer.
Irrespective of the afore mentioned advantages, seafarers undergoing the Nigerian certificate of competency are disadvantaged thus;
- The rate of failure in the certificate of competency examination is high when compared to other countries such as Ghana, the United Kingdom, and Egypt and so on. The seafarers attribute their failure to poorly organized syllabus and scheme of work during the preparatory courses.
- The Nigerian Certificate of competency has limitations at the Class II and Class I levels.
- Some flag states and shipping companies are not so keen on Nigerian CoC license holders. Ironically, some of these companies operate in Nigerian waters.
- NIMASA takes lengthy time to release the result of the candidates. It takes between 3-7months, as it’s not fixed as compared to other issuing authorities in other countries. Furthermore, the issuance of the original COC document takes another 3-6months after the result must have been released.
How to obtain Certificate of Competency (COC)
Below are the guidelines on how to obtain the Nigerian Certificate of Competency (COC);
1. Obtain Eligibility:
The first step in acquiring the Nimasa COC is to obtain eligibility. This document certifies that the seafarer has met all STCW requirements and can hence, undergo the preparatory classes. The Eligibility is obtained at the NIMASA Kirikiri branch in Lagos.
The following documents and certificates will be required for scrutinization before the eligibility is offered;
- Copies of Discharge booklet entries duly stamped by the ship(s) of service Master.
- A copy of the Onboard Training Record Book for Officers in charge of an Engineering watch for cadet or ratings.
- Copies Sea service testimonials of not less than 12 months.
- Copies of Seafarer certificates and documents (Intl passport, Medicals, STCW Mandatories).
- Application Payment receipt.
The eligibility fee is N40,000 – 43, 300. Furthermore, charges such as the Shipping Master’s stamp charges which ranges between N1200-2500 per column. Shipping masters at Lagos, Rivers State and Calabar are at liberty to counter stamp the discharge booklet.
TIP: The present Shipping master in River States only counter stamps discharge booklets obtained at its NIMASA branch.
2. Registration at authorized institutions:
After obtaining the eligibility, the seafarer is to register at the training institution.
The institutions offering the preparatory course includes;
- The Maritime Academy of Nigeria in oron akwa ibom is the most renowned institution in that regards.
- Charkin Maritime Academy in port Harcourt.
- Joe marine in warri.
3. Undergo the COC preparatory course:
The preparatory course is undergone for 6 months during which the candidates are strictly mandated to attend classes and study hard. It is known that NIMASA sets questions broadly with no area of concentration. Hence, the preparatory courses are to be taken seriously if one hopes to pass Nigeria COC examination.
During the 2021/22 COC Examination, candidates who didn’t meet up to 50% attendance during the preparatory courses were disqualified from sitting for the examination. The candidates were mandated to undergo the course anew.
This disciplinary action will encourage candidates to be more focused and dedicated to their studies.
4. Undergo the COC Examination:
The COC examination for the deck and Engine cadre is quite herculean as previous candidates claim that the questions set are not in conformity to the lectures during the preparatory courses.
Regrettably, the claims are right as attested by 65% of the OOW COC Class of 2019. Although, the system is better with implementation of better study approach by the institutions.
The written examination lasts for a week while the orals usually last for 2-3 days.
The oral examination is conducted by a one-man panel. The duration of the oral examination is not fixed; it totally depends on the candidates’ intellectual prowess as questions will be asked from the four core courses.
5. Successfully pass both written and oral COC Examinations:
This is likely the hardest step in the stairway. Passing the Nigerian COC Examination in one sitting is considered to be herculean by a vast majority.
This further goes to prove that the Nigerian COC candidates are up to whatever task that the industry may offer.
6. Undergo Advances Courses:
All mandatory advance courses stated in the issued eligibility document must be submitted to NIMASA before the COC is issued to the candidate.
Upon scrutiny and verification, the COC is issued to the candidate approximately 3-6 months after the COC result is published. The lengthy duration is another setback.
In the next article, the various advance courses and their cost will be discussed.
