It is D-Day for Nigeria’s maritime industry stakeholders as the Network of Nigeria Maritime Journalists (NNMJ) holds its much-anticipated Unity Conference on Friday, November 13, 2026, bringing together influential personalities, policymakers, regulators and private-sector operators to deliberate on the future of the nation’s maritime sector.
The conference, scheduled to hold at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, is expected to attract an impressive gathering of industry leaders, with the Chairman of the Port Consultative Council (PCC), Dr Bolaji Sunmola; former National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Alhaji Babatunde Mukaila; and Chief Executive Officer of A-Z Logistics, Dr Mustapha Azeez, among the latest prominent personalities to confirm their attendance.
Also expected at the high-profile gathering are former President of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi, and other eminent figures across the maritime value chain.
Former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Barrister Temisan Omatseye, will chair the conference, while the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, will attend as Special Guest of Honour.
Renowned maritime lawyer, Barrister Emeka Akabogu, SAN, is billed to deliver the keynote address.
With the theme, “Seaport Modernisation, Trade Facilitation and Revenue,” the conference is expected to provide a major platform for examining the state of Nigeria’s maritime industry, assessing ongoing government reforms and identifying practical strategies for unlocking the sector’s enormous economic potential.
Discussions will centre on critical issues including port modernisation, rehabilitation and renewal of ageing infrastructure, trade facilitation, ease of doing business, revenue optimisation and the elimination of financial leakages across the maritime value chain.
Participants will also examine how Nigeria can maximise opportunities in the marine and blue economy, strengthen maritime safety and security, generate employment and improve the international competitiveness of its seaports.
The gathering comes at a critical period when the Federal Government is pursuing reforms aimed at repositioning the maritime sector as a major driver of economic diversification, trade expansion and revenue generation under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Beyond policy discussions, the conference is expected to foster stronger collaboration among government agencies, port operators, shipping companies, freight forwarders, licensed customs agents and other industry players.
In a joint statement, NNMJ Chairman, Elder Dele Aderibigbe, and the organisation’s Public Relations Officer, Jerry Aguigbo, said the Unity Conference was conceived to promote constructive engagement, deepen stakeholder collaboration and generate actionable recommendations for addressing the challenges confronting the maritime industry.
They explained that the gathering would enable stakeholders to critically evaluate existing government policies and reforms, identify implementation gaps and recommend sustainable solutions for improving port operations, facilitating legitimate trade and boosting government revenue.
The NNMJ leadership also underscored the critical responsibility of maritime journalists in strengthening transparency and accountability within the industry through credible reporting, independent analysis and sustained public scrutiny of policies and regulatory interventions.
According to the organisers, the conference is designed not merely as a gathering of industry personalities but as an opportunity to build consensus, strengthen professional relationships and chart a common direction for a more efficient, transparent and globally competitive maritime sector.
The event, scheduled to commence at 11:00 a.m., is expected to attract heads of maritime agencies, managing directors of shipping companies, terminal operators, legal practitioners, freight forwarders and other key stakeholders.
For the Nigerian maritime industry, the conference offers another opportunity to bring critical voices around one table to confront longstanding challenges and explore the reforms required to transform the nation’s seaports into more productive engines of economic growth.
