During its 2025 Annual Conference in Lagos, the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) spotlighted the country’s immense potential in the blue economy as a future driver of prosperity. Themed “Harnessing Nigeria’s Blue Economy Potentials: Boosting Export Trade and Multimodal Cargo Transport,” the event brought together maritime experts, policymakers, and industry stakeholders. JournalNG+1
In her opening remarks, Acting President of AMJON, Vera Osokpo, urged Nigeria to reduce its dependence on oil and fully leverage its coastal and marine assets. She emphasized that sectors like shipping, fisheries, tourism, aquaculture, marine energy, and biotechnology offer “game-changing” opportunities if properly harnessed. JournalNG
Dr. Eugene Nweke, Head of Research at the Sea Empowerment & Research Centre (SEREC) and Chair of the conference, highlighted a major implementation gap in Nigeria’s blue economy. He pointed out that despite Nigeria having an 853 km coastline, 3,000 km of inland waterways, and a 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone, the country contributes less than 1.5% to regional maritime GDP. Von News+1
To bridge this gap, Nweke called for a “structured public-private synergy” (PPS), involving government, investors, academia, and coastal communities. He identified five key pillars for growth: fisheries, shipping & logistics, tourism, marine energy, and data governance. Von News
He also made concrete economic projections: closing Nigeria’s 2.1 million-tonne fish deficit could create over 500,000 jobs, while automating port operations could yield savings of up to ₦3 trillion annually. Von News
Further, Nweke emphasized the importance of linking other sectors to maritime development. He proposed reviving the Ajaokuta Steel Complex to supply steel for shipbuilding and coastal infrastructure, as well as boosting intermodal transport (integrating road, rail, and waterways) using ICT-driven systems like the National Single Window and International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN). Von News
On regulation, he urged Nigeria’s maritime agencies — including NIMASA, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) — to synchronize their mandates under a unified maritime policy. He also recommended the establishment of a National Blue Economy Council and a Public-Private Blue Economy Implementation Roundtable to oversee coordinated development. Von News
The conference underscored how the blue economy can not only diversify the country’s economy but also generate jobs and foster sustainable growth. Osokpo reaffirmed the critical role of journalists in this process, calling on them to highlight both challenges and opportunities in Nigeria’s maritime space. JournalNG
Source Acknowledgment:
Paraphrased from Searchlight News (“AMJON 2025 Conference: Nigeria’s blue economy holds the future …”)