LAGOS: Tinubu’s Maritime Policy, Performance to Take Center Stage at NNMJ Unity Conference

By Lateepha Eniola, Assistant Editor

The 2026 Unity Conference of the Network of Nigerian Maritime Journalists (NNMJ) is set to evaluate the performance, policy direction, and operational efficiency of Nigeria’s maritime sector under the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration.

According to the organisers, the event will be chaired by Barrister Temisan Omatseye, former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

It will hold on Friday, November 13, at the Airport Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos, starting at 11:00 a.m.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, will attend as the Special Guest of Honour, while renowned maritime lawyer Barrister Emeka Akabogu, SAN, is set to deliver the keynote address.

The conference—themed “Seaport Modernisation, Trade Facilitation and Revenue”—will address critical factors influencing the growth, efficiency, and global competitiveness of Nigeria’s maritime industry.

The event will gather policymakers, maritime agency heads, industry leaders, legal experts, and key stakeholders to evaluate the sector’s performance, policy direction, and operational efficiency under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

In a statement by NNMJ Chairman, Elder Dele Aderibigbe (08023148914), and the organisation’s Public Relations Officer, Jerry Aguigbo (08029030104), the conference is designed to provide a platform for constructive engagement on practical strategies for strengthening the maritime sector and maximising its potential for national economic growth.

The conference will focus on seaport modernisation, rehabilitation and renewal of critical port infrastructure, improved trade facilitation, ease of doing business, revenue generation, and strategies for addressing financial leakages.

Policymakers and experts are expected to examine opportunities for expanding Nigeria’s marine and blue economy, creating employment, strengthening maritime safety and security, and improving the competitiveness of the nation’s ports in the West and Central Africa subregion.

The event is also expected to attract heads of government agencies, managing directors of shipping companies, terminal operators, freight forwarders, and other major players across the maritime sector.

NNMJ said the Unity Conference would also promote stronger collaboration between public and private-sector stakeholders while encouraging policy initiatives capable of improving port efficiency, facilitating legitimate trade, boosting government revenue, and unlocking the economic potential of Nigeria’s maritime sector.

The leaders of the organisation emphasised the importance of maritime journalism in promoting accountability, providing informed industry analysis, and sustaining constructive engagement on government policies and reforms affecting the marine and blue economy of the country.