The Federal University of Maritime Studies, Oron (FUMS) is not admitting students, so it has no admission requirements, no courses and no cut-off mark for 2026/2027. President Bola Tinubu signed the law establishing the university on 16 February 2023, but as of May 2026 it still had no Vice-Chancellor, no principal officers, no fully constituted Governing Council and no academic activity, according to Nairametrics (18 May 2026). I found no JAMB listing and no NUC programme approval for it. If you want maritime training in Oron now, the institution that actually admits is the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, which runs ND and HND courses.
2027/2028 update: FUMS Oron’s position usually changes only when the Federal Government appoints principal officers and the NUC approves its programmes, and neither had happened by the latest reports. So the status on this page is what 2027/2028 candidates should plan with. It comes from the latest reports (May 2026) and searches up to November 2026. If FUMS takes off and publishes admission requirements, we will update this page.
This page explains where the university stands, how to avoid confusing it with three other maritime institutions, what to study instead in 2027 (with cut-offs and subjects), and what would have to happen before FUMS could admit anyone.
FUMS Oron admission requirements at a glance
| Item | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Is FUMS admitting? | No | Nairametrics, 18 May 2026; no later notice found |
| Establishing law | Assented 16 February 2023 | Nairametrics, 18 May 2026 |
| Vice-Chancellor and principal officers | None appointed (May 2026) | Nairametrics; ThisDay headline, 19 May 2026 |
| Governing Council | Not fully constituted (May 2026) | Nairametrics |
| JAMB listing | None found | Searches up to 3 November 2026 |
| NUC programme approvals | None found | Searches up to 3 November 2026 |
| Courses | None | No programmes approved or advertised |
| Cut-off mark | None | No admission exercise has taken place |
| Genuine admission forms | None | Treat any “FUMS form” as fraud |
| Working maritime school in Oron | Maritime Academy of Nigeria (ND and HND) | Federal monotechnic, founded 1979 |
Is the Federal University of Maritime Studies Oron admitting for 2026/2027?
No. Every source I found points the same way:
- Nairametrics, 18 May 2026: at a press conference by the Oron Stakeholders’ Forum, Professor Emmanuel Onwioduokit said the university was still inactive nearly four years after the legislative process ended, with no Vice-Chancellor or principal officers and a Governing Council not fully constituted. The forum asked the President to appoint officers and direct ministries and agencies to complete the remaining steps. It also said it had engaged the NUC, without reporting an outcome.
- ThisDay, 19 May 2026: headlined a call on President Tinubu to speed up the university’s take-off.
- The Guardian and Vanguard (2026): reported protests by stakeholders over the delay.
- My own searches (to 3 November 2026): found no Vice-Chancellor appointment, no council inauguration, no NUC approval and no admission notice for the university.
A university cannot admit students without principal officers to run admissions, programmes approved by the NUC, and a listing with JAMB so that candidates can choose it and be admitted on CAPS. FUMS has none of the three, so there is no 2026/2027 admission and nothing to suggest one for 2027/2028 yet.
The “board inaugurated” headline
You may see a Guardian headline saying the Federal Government inaugurated a board for the “Maritime University, Oron”. The article itself is about the Governing Board of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria. The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, swore in that board, chaired by Engr. Kehinde Olayinka Akinola. It is not a university council, and it does not mean FUMS has started.
How the university came about
- 2008: the Niger Delta Development Technical Committee recommended upgrading the maritime training institution at Oron, according to the stakeholders quoted by Nairametrics.
- 2017: a Senate committee chaired by Senator Bazau Jibrin concluded that an upgrade would improve the training of Nigerian cadets and cut the cost of training them abroad. The bill then before the Senate would have repealed the Maritime Academy of Nigeria Act and set up a Federal University of Maritime Studies at Oron.
- 16 February 2023: presidential assent to the law establishing the university.
- May 2026: stakeholders protest that it has still not taken off.
The name varies between sources. Reports use “Federal University of Maritime Studies, Oron” and “Maritime University, Oron”, and some call it the University of Maritime Studies, Oron. They all describe the same planned university.
Do not confuse FUMS Oron with these maritime institutions
| Institution | Where | What it is | Admitting? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal University of Maritime Studies (FUMS) | Oron, Akwa Ibom | Planned federal university; law signed 2023 | No |
| Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) | Oron, Akwa Ibom | Federal monotechnic founded in 1979 (formerly Nautical College of Nigeria); ND and HND plus seafarers’ training | Yes, through JAMB for ND |
| Nigeria Maritime University | Okerenkoko, Delta | Federal university with NUC-approved undergraduate programmes | Yes |
| Admiralty University of Nigeria | Delta State | Federal university | Yes |
The confusion is common because news stories about “the maritime university” getting NUC approvals usually refer to Okerenkoko, and stories about Oron usually refer to the Academy. The Academy is not being renamed: its ND and HND programmes continue as before.
What to study instead in 2027
Maritime courses at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron
If your heart is set on a maritime career, the Academy is the realistic route in Oron. Its ND cut-offs have been the same in every notice and reprint our team found from 2022 to 2026. These are reported figures; check the Academy’s current notice before you apply.
| ND course | Reported cut-off | UTME subjects | Our guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nautical Science | 175 | English, Mathematics, Geography, Physics | MAN Oron Nautical Science |
| Marine Engineering | 175 | English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics | MAN Oron Marine Engineering |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering | 175 | English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics | MAN Oron Electrical/Electronic Engineering |
| Maritime Transport and Business Studies | 160 | English, Mathematics, Economics plus one of Geography, Commerce, Government or Principles of Accounts | MAN Oron Maritime Transport and Business Studies |
The Academy has conditions most schools do not. Reprints of its notices set age limits (16 to 21 for Nautical Science, Marine Engineering and Electrical/Electronic Engineering; 16 to 25 for Maritime Transport and Business Studies), require candidates to be single, and include a physical and medical screening. Read our course guides for the details, and our MAN Oron HND guide if you already hold an ND.
Degree options in Akwa Ibom
If you want a degree, these Akwa Ibom universities run courses close to maritime work:
| University | Course | 2026/2027 minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU) | Marine Engineering | 150 (reprint of AKSU notice) |
| Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi (FUTIA) | Naval Architecture | 160 |
| Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi (FUTIA) | Transport Management | 160 |
| University of Uyo (UNIUYO) | Petroleum Engineering | 150, with UNIUYO as first choice |
Outside the state, the Nigeria Maritime University at Okerenkoko in Delta is the federal university dedicated to maritime studies. The minimums above are the universities’ general 2026/2027 figures; competitive courses are filled well above them.
How to apply for a maritime course in 2027, step by step
- Get your JAMB profile code: send NIN, a space and your 11-digit NIN to 55019 or 66019 from the line linked to your NIN.
- Pick a real institution: choose the Maritime Academy of Nigeria for an ND, or a university that offers your course. Do not list FUMS Oron; it is not on JAMB.
- Register the right subjects: for Nautical Science that means Geography and Physics with Mathematics; for Marine Engineering, Chemistry and Physics with Mathematics. Use the course guides above.
- Upload your O’level to CAPS: at an accredited JAMB CBT centre as soon as your result is out.
- Apply on the institution’s portal: the Academy runs its own ND registration and medical screening; universities run their own screening.
- Accept on CAPS: every genuine offer appears there. Our JAMB CAPS guide explains each status, and JAMB change of institution explains how to switch if you chose the wrong school.
Deadlines for 2026/2027: JAMB set 31 October 2026 for public universities, and that date has now passed. Polytechnics, monotechnics (including the Maritime Academy) and colleges of education have until 31 December 2026.
Warning
Anyone selling a Federal University of Maritime Studies Oron admission form, screening form or “slot” is not dealing with a real admission. The university has no officers, no approved programmes and no JAMB listing. Admissions outside JAMB CAPS are illegal, so do not pay.
What has to happen before FUMS Oron can admit
Based on how new federal universities in Nigeria normally start, these are the steps to watch for. None had been reported for FUMS by November 2026.
- Principal officers: the President appoints a Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, Bursar and Librarian.
- Governing Council: a full council is constituted and inaugurated.
- NUC programme approval: the NUC checks staff and facilities (resource verification) and approves the first degree programmes.
- JAMB listing: the approved programmes appear on JAMB’s list, so candidates can choose the university at registration.
- First admission notice: the university publishes its requirements and screening, and admits on CAPS.
If you see news of the first two steps, the earliest realistic intake is still at least one admission cycle away, because programme approval and JAMB listing take time. Until then, plan with the Academy or a university that is already admitting.
FUMS Oron admission: frequently asked questions
Is Federal University of Maritime Studies Oron admitting students? No. As of May 2026 it had no Vice-Chancellor, principal officers or full council, and I found no JAMB listing, NUC programme approval or admission notice up to November 2026.
What is the cut-off mark for Federal University of Maritime Studies Oron? There is none, because the university has never run an admission exercise. For maritime training in Oron, the Maritime Academy of Nigeria’s reported ND cut-offs are 175 for its engineering and nautical courses and 160 for Maritime Transport and Business Studies.
Has the Maritime Academy of Nigeria Oron become a university? No. A law to establish a maritime university at Oron was signed in February 2023, but the university has not taken off, and the Academy continues to run ND and HND programmes.
Which maritime university in Nigeria is admitting? The Nigeria Maritime University at Okerenkoko, Delta State, holds NUC-approved programmes. In Akwa Ibom, AKSU runs Marine Engineering and FUTIA runs Naval Architecture.
Sources and updates
The assent date, the inactive status, the missing principal officers and council, the stakeholders’ demands, the 2008 and 2017 background and the description of the Maritime Academy come from Nairametrics (18 May 2026). The ThisDay (19 May 2026), Guardian and Vanguard reports were seen as search results and headlines. The board inauguration is from the Guardian article, which concerns the Maritime Academy’s board. The Academy’s cut-offs, subjects, age limits and screening come from our Maritime Academy guides, which rely on the Academy’s 2022/2023 notice and later reprints. University minimums come from each university’s 2026/2027 notice or reprint. The 2026/2027 deadlines and the rule against admissions outside CAPS come from the News Agency of Nigeria (11 May 2026). Searches for a Vice-Chancellor, council, NUC approval or admission notice were last run on 3 November 2026. This page will be updated as soon as the university takes off.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
