Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, has inaugurated an organising committee for the Nigeria Marine and Blue Economy Expo (NIMBEX) to attract investment into the sector.
Oyetola said the expo would bring together policymakers, investors, industry leaders and technology innovators to explore opportunities in Nigeria’s marine and blue economy.
According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser, Dr Bolaji Akinola, on Thursday in Lagos, said the initiative aims to position Nigeria as a leading maritime investment destination in Africa.
The minister said that the expo would help translate the country’s maritime resources into investment opportunities, economic growth and job creation.
“Nigeria’s marine and blue economy holds enormous potential to drive economic diversification, attract investment and create sustainable employment,” he said.
Oyetola, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Fatima Mahmood, said that the expo would facilitate partnerships, mobilise capital and provide the expertise needed to harness the sector’s potential.
He noted that Nigeria’s 853-kilometre coastline and more than 10,000 kilometres of navigable inland waterways across 28 states offered significant opportunities for maritime trade and investment.
The committee is chaired by Mr Husseini Shettima, Director of Marine Conservation, Innovation and Technology in the ministry.
Hajia Kalthum Ibrahim, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, and Prof. Busayo Fakinlede, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Marine and Blue Economy, are co-chairpersons.
Akinola will serve as a committee member and Chief Operating Officer of the expo.
Other members include representatives of the ministry’s technical departments and agencies, including the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).
Representatives of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron; Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research; Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology; and fisheries research institutes in New Bussa and Baga are also members.
The committee also includes representatives of coastal states, terminal operators, shipowners, freight forwarders, barge operators and other maritime stakeholders.
The ministry said that the committee’s broad-based composition would promote coordinated planning and connect investors with viable opportunities across the blue economy. (NAN)
