IIMS Chief Executive, Mike Schwarz, accepted an invitation that had been given to him by IIMS Nigerian members at the London Conference in September to present the inaugural Annual Public Lecture in Lagos. The lecture, given on behalf of the Centre for Marine Surveyors Nigeria, took place on Friday 27 November at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
The Centre for Marine Surveyors Nigeria was borne out of the need to sanitise the profession and to provide a platform for self regulation about those who are practising surveyors. In 2011, a group of interested parties in the marine surveying business came together to form the Centre. The mission of the Centre is ‘Commitment to enhancing knowledge while providing and expanding opportunities for growth and also regulation of professional marine surveying standards and practices’.
In his address to a large audience that filled the Chamber to capacity, which comprised two parts, Mike spoke about the opportunities that membership of IIMS brings to surveyors worldwide. He then moved on to speak passionately about why standards and accreditation are becoming increasingly important in an ever changing maritime world. He considered how best the industry might look to attract the next generation of younger surveyors, as well as ensuring that those already engaged in the profession continue to enhance and improve their skills.
The event was well covered by the local media in Lagos. Several articles have appeared in the Nigerian press, as well as a television interview and a lot of radio exposure and reviews. As a direct result, there has been a flurry in interest from potential new members in the area.
