By Elizabeth Osayande

History was made recently at the 2025/2026 matriculation ceremony of the Federal College of Fisheries and Maritime Technology, FCFMT, Victoria Island, Lagos, as a total of 1,200 students, the highest number since the school’s inception, were admitted into various programmes.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Provost, Dr. Onuoha Paul Chuks, noted that not only was admission into the college a milestone, he explained other achievements by the current administration to include expansion of programmes in the college from seven to 15, the setting up of two additional departments, and a lot of infrastructural advancement among others.

He said they were made possible by President Bola Tinubu’s initiative and directive to align the college with the newly-created Marine and Blue Economy Ministry.

His words: “It is important to note that today’s occasion is significant because this is the first time in the history of the school that we are matriculating a total number of 1,200 students. This represents a significant departure from the low number of 298 students who matriculated in the 2019/2020 academic session when this administration came on board. Thanks to the college management for the passionate and diligent commitment to adopting not only the needed relevant strategies in improving the number and quality of academic programmes, but also the infrastructural facilities needed for them.”

Also, Dr Chuks, who encouraged the newly-admitted students to make judicious use of their time in the College, noted that both national and international collaborations and partnerships were responsible for the wheel of progress in the school.

“ Collaboration with leading institutions remains an essential part of the College’s strategy for academic and research excellence. MoUs with the University of Lagos, Olusegun Agagu University of Science Technology, Chisquares Incorporated in Atlanta, United States and Winrock International, continue to provide pathways for research and academic collaboration and degree awards in relevant programmes.

“Again, the College has recently secured NIMASA/IMO approval of our ND, HND, and professional programmes with the final certificate in view for our professional certificate programmes, such as the Certificate of Competency, COC, Certificate programmes using the newly acquired Bridge Simulator Class A.