The Nigerian International Maritime Summit (NIMS) is scheduled for October 2021 in Lagos to rejuvenate the Nigerian shipping industry by utilizing its numerous strengths.
Bringing together foreign and local experts would provide an opportunity for deliberation and finding solutions to issues limiting shipping development in Nigeria.
The summit, which will take place from October 5-6, 2021, will be a business event for international organizations, policymakers, regulators, development organizations, operators, service providers, and consumers in the industry.
At the pre-event media briefing held in Lagos recently, board member Greg Ogbeifun said NIMS would be an opportunity to revive the Nigerian shipping business and position it as Africa’s hub.
Ogbeifun, who is also chairman of Starz Group, said the event would also highlight the country’s plan for the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA), focusing on the maritime component.
Emeka Akabogu, chief executive officer of NIMS and senior partner at Akabogu & Associates, said the basic purpose of NIMS was to develop the maritime sector in Nigeria and enable the creation of maritime clusters.
“NIMS will help to identify partners in-country and abroad. It will also lead to the creation of virtual clusters for Nigerian maritime services and will set up specific timelines for it to be achieved,” he said.
Most maritime countries have identifiable maritime clusters, which are groups of credible service providers across the value chain.
According to him, this requires establishing profiles and keeping track of operators and service providers in the industry.
“Though Nigeria has desired the maritime hub status in the West and Central Africa sub-region for decades, but not much had been done to harness the potential and to stimulate the required activity,” he explained.
Mfon Usoro, the chairperson of NIMS Governing Board, said the event would strategically focus on industry-based issues to make Nigeria a maritime superpower and regional hub.
In addition to being timely, she said, the summit comes as Nigeria prepares for its upcoming Governing Council election with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) later in the year.
Although Usoro assured that NIMS would ensure that recommendations made by participants would reach the nation’s economic managers.
The 2-day event would feature a host of speakers, including Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union Commission; Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation, and Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State.
Others include Wamkele Mene, secretary-general, AfCFTA Secretariat, and Binyah Kesselly, immediate-past director-general, Liberia Maritime Authority.
The summit will focus on Growing Nigeria’s Merchant Fleet with insights on ship financing, repair, shipyards, seafarer training, and development; Maritime Domain Awareness and Protection; blue economy and preservation of marine environment and security for commercial shipping, among others.
