STARS MARITIME ACADEMY

Stars Maritime Academy is a private maritime institution at the Navy School Bus Stop along Itele-Ota Road, Lafenwa, Ado-Odo/Ota, Ogun State. It trains seafarers and maritime professionals and runs National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes alongside professional maritime courses and other certificate courses. The Academy is recognised and approved by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); its ND and HND courses are approved by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and NIMASA, and its professional training courses by NIMASA and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Programmes are organised in departments, including Marine Engineering, Nautical Sciences, Maritime Transport and Business Studies, Business Administration, Computer Science, Security Management Technology, Welding and Fabrication Technology, Mass Communication, Law and Public Administration. Nautical Sciences covers navigation, meteorology and ship handling for sea operations, and Marine Engineering prepares students for the machinery side of shipping.

Professional courses follow the STCW Convention (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers), regulated in Nigeria by NIMASA. The STCW Basic Mandatory course for maritime personnel runs five days and covers basic fire fighting, elementary first aid, security awareness, personal survival techniques, and personal safety and social responsibility. Advanced Fire Fighting and Efficient Deckhand courses are announced as coming soon.

The Academy is led by a Rector/Chairman, a former Nigerian Navy officer and mariner, who also chairs Stars Polytechnic, Ota. A Deputy Rector, Registrar and Bursar head the administrative offices; the Deputy Rector's office coordinates academic planning, internal quality assurance, flexible skills development and the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development. Departments are led by heads of department, for example the Department of Marine Engineering.

Student services include a library with print and electronic resources, an e-library and learning management system (LMS), online course registration, SIWES (industrial training) and medical services. The Academy works with industry partners on student placements and internships. Admission is open to full-time and part-time undergraduate candidates with or without JAMB.