By Sandra Chukwunyere
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola; former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Barrister Temisan Omatseye; and renowned maritime lawyer, Barrister Emeka Akabogu, SAN, are among prominent personalities expected to feature at the Unity Conference of the Network of Nigerian Maritime Journalists (NNMJ).
The conference, scheduled for Friday, November 13, 2026, at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, will bring together policymakers, maritime regulators, industry leaders and other stakeholders to examine the future of Nigeria’s maritime sector.
Omatseye will chair the conference, while Oyetola will attend as Special Guest of Honour. Akabogu is expected to deliver the keynote address.
Scheduled to commence at 11:00 a.m., the conference is themed “Seaport Modernisation, Trade Facilitation and Revenue.”
The event will focus on the performance, policy direction and operational efficiency of the maritime industry under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, with particular emphasis on port modernisation, trade facilitation and revenue generation.
According to the organisers, discussions will cover the modernisation of seaports, renewal of critical infrastructure, improved trade facilitation, enhanced ease of doing business, revenue growth and measures to curb financial leakages.
Participants will also examine opportunities for expanding the marine and blue economy, creating employment, strengthening maritime safety and security, and improving the overall competitiveness of Nigeria’s maritime sector.
The gathering is expected to attract heads of government agencies, managing directors of shipping companies, terminal operators, freight forwarders and other prominent stakeholders across the maritime value chain.
The Network of Nigerian Maritime Journalists said the Unity Conference was designed to encourage informed dialogue, strengthen collaboration between public- and private-sector stakeholders, and promote policy initiatives that will enhance port efficiency, facilitate legitimate trade and improve revenue performance.
The organisation added that the conference would reinforce the role of the maritime media in promoting accountability, providing informed industry analysis and advancing constructive engagement on policies and reforms affecting Nigeria’s marine and blue economy.
The press release was jointly signed by Elder Dele Aderibigbe, Chairman of the Network of Nigerian Maritime Journalists, and Jerry Aguigbo, its Public Relations Officer.
