The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has partnered with the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) to advance conversations around innovation, human capital development and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s Blue Economy.

The partnership will be featured at the 2026 Maritime Training Summit and Awards scheduled to hold in Lagos, bringing together regulators, maritime industry operators, policymakers, training institutions and sector experts.

The summit is designed to explore practical approaches to developing a future-ready maritime workforce and strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to benefit from opportunities within the Blue Economy.

The event will be held under the theme, “The Power of Innovation in a Future-Ready Maritime Training Agenda,” with discussions centred on the role of technology, contemporary training methods and capacity development in positioning Nigeria to maximise opportunities across Blue Economy sectors.

Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, said the collaboration with AMJON supports the agency’s responsibilities in maritime safety, security, indigenous shipping development and the effective use of Nigeria’s marine resources.

“The collaboration aligns with the agency’s mandate to promote safety, security, indigenous shipping development, and utilisation utilization of Nigeria’s marine resources.”

Mobereola also stressed the importance of investing in human capital and innovation-led training to strengthen the economic contribution of the maritime sector.

According to him, “investing in skilled manpower and innovation-driven training is critical to expanding the contribution of the maritime sector to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product creating jobs, and enhancing the country’s competitiveness in global trade.”

He further stated that NIMASA was committed to building the expertise needed to support the global Blue Economy while using the summit to promote coordination among key stakeholders.

“NIMASA remains committed to developing the human capacity required to drive a $1.4 trillion global Blue Economy. Our partnership with AMJON for this summit is deliberate, to ensure that industry, government and the media align on practical steps for training, certification and technology adoption,” Mobereola stated.

AMJON President, Vera Osokpo, commended NIMASA for what she described as its consistent support for maritime development.

Osokpo said the agency’s regulatory interventions and capacity-building initiatives had played an important role in encouraging indigenous participation and strengthening maritime safety.

She said the summit would also provide stakeholders with an opportunity to identify weaknesses in existing training systems and develop responses to prepare Nigerian seafarers and other maritime professionals for emerging opportunities.

“The summit will provide a platform for stakeholders to review training gaps and proffer solutions that will equip Nigerian seafarers and maritime professionals for emerging opportunities in the sector” She said.

The 2026 AMJON Training Summit and Awards is expected to conclude with a communique containing actionable recommendations intended to guide policies and industry practices.

Source VON