Maritime stakeholders have called on the media to become advocates for the growth and development of Nigeria’s Marine and Blue Economy through positive, impactful, and well-informed reportage.
The call was made during a one-day training session for maritime reporters in Lagos on Wednesday, where industry experts emphasised the need for the press to spotlight both the challenges and opportunities within the sector.
Mrs. Funke Agbor, SAN, President of the Nigerian Maritime Law Association (NMLA), stressed the importance of strong political will, competence, and purposeful leadership in unlocking the sector’s full potential. She lamented that despite Nigeria’s size and resources, it was not asserting itself as a dominant maritime hub in West Africa.
“I have a trust issue with the maritime sector; Lome has been declared a hub for West Africa in shipping oil. We are not acting like the big country because we lack strong political will,” Agbor said.
She urged the media to use their platforms to educate the public, advocate for streamlined operations across maritime agencies, and support inter-agency coordination to translate policies into action.
Rear Admiral Francis Akpan (rtd) highlighted that over 90 percent of Nigeria’s international trade is seaborne, underscoring the central role of the maritime industry in the economy. He described the Marine and Blue Economy as a sustainable development framework for developing nations, offering opportunities for benefit-sharing from marine resources and reinvestment in human development.
Akpan also called for increased transparency, reduced duplication of agencies at ports, and decisive action to address crude oil theft through pipeline vandalism, which he said was undermining revenue and export capacity.
Mrs. Mfon Usoro, President of the Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics (CITL) and convener of the training, encouraged the media to apply their newly acquired knowledge to project Marine and Blue Economy issues more effectively.
Similarly, Rear Admiral Christopher Udofar (rtd), Director-General of the International Maritime Institute of Nigeria (IMION), urged journalists to balance their reportage while advocating for policy changes that enhance the maritime sector. He called for compelling narratives that can influence government action and public perception.