Blue Economy
Nigeria Reaffirms IMO Council Bid at Global Maritime Symposium in Singapore
Nigeria has renewed its quest for a Category C seat on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council, showcasing its maritime development agenda at the Global Maritime and Aviation Symposium held on Monday in Singapore.
At the event, the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, who represented the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola, reiterated Nigeria’s readiness to modernize its maritime infrastructure and attract foreign investment into the sector.
Oyebamiji emphasized the country’s strategic maritime advantage and underlined the importance of Nigeria’s inclusion in the IMO Council. He noted that securing a seat would strengthen the country’s ability to shape global maritime policies and assert its leadership role in the West African sub-region.
“The IMO seat will empower Nigeria to influence the global maritime ecosystem and position the country as a major stakeholder in shaping international maritime policies,” Oyebamiji said.
The symposium, themed around job creation and economic growth in Nigeria’s maritime and aviation sectors, provided a platform for NIWA to showcase its efforts at harnessing the economic potential of the blue economy. Describing Nigeria’s coastal waters as an “untapped goldmine,” Oyebamiji highlighted the government’s initiatives to increase global visibility and economic integration through the marine and blue economy framework.
Also present at the event was the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, who presented investment opportunities in the aviation sector and restated Nigeria’s commitment to international partnerships and infrastructure development.
Nigeria’s presence at the Singapore symposium forms part of an intensified diplomatic campaign ahead of the IMO Council elections scheduled to take place later this year.