The President of the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria, Dr. Odunayo Ani, has challenged African governments, regulators and industry players to move beyond policy declarations and implement practical reforms that will unlock the continent’s vast maritime and Blue Economy potential.
Speaking at the 8th WISTA Africa Regional Conference hosted by WISTA Nigeria in Lagos with the theme, “From Policy to Progress: Women Delivering Africa’s Shipping and Trade Energy Future,” Dr. Ani said Africa could only maximise opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) through stronger collaboration, improved maritime connectivity and policies that deliver measurable results.
“Policy must translate into measurable impact, while collaboration must drive innovation. Together, we can build a more resilient, competitive and inclusive maritime industry for Africa,” she said, while appreciating the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), WISTA International and other partners for supporting the conference.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, represented by the ministry’s Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Hajia Kalthum Ibrahim, called for urgent efforts to remove barriers preventing women from thriving in the maritime industry.
“The challenge before us is to remove the barriers that still limit participation and create partnerships that enable women to enter, thrive and lead within the industry. We must invest in skills development, strengthen institutions, leverage technology and deepen regional cooperation,” Oyetola said.
Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to gender inclusion, saying NIMASA would continue supporting initiatives that promote professional excellence and sustainable maritime development.
“NIMASA remains a proud partner of WISTA and will continue to support initiatives that promote gender inclusion, professional excellence and sustainable maritime development. Collaboration among governments, industry stakeholders and professional associations remains essential to unlocking Africa’s maritime potential,” Mobereola stated.
In his keynote address, former NIMASA Director-General, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, urged African leaders to focus on implementation rather than policy formulation, stressing that the continent has signed numerous maritime agreements without fully translating them into economic gains.
“Africa must deliberately move from signing policies to building institutions, infrastructure and capacity. We must also create greater opportunities for women to participate in maritime leadership because experience has shown that women bring stability to decision-making and are indispensable to the future of Africa’s maritime industry,” Peterside said.
He added that Africa’s transition to greener shipping presents fresh opportunities to modernise ports, strengthen indigenous shipping, develop regional logistics networks, attract green investments and create jobs for millions of young people.
The Oniru of Iru Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal, CON, Abisogun II, described the Blue Economy as one of Africa’s greatest development opportunities and praised WISTA Africa and WISTA Nigeria for championing collaboration and innovation in the maritime sector.
Earlier, Chairperson of the Convention Planning Committee, Dr. Oma Ofodile, described the conference as a landmark event for WISTA Nigeria and urged delegates from across Africa to ensure that discussions lead to practical actions capable of transforming the continent’s maritime industry.
Participants at the high-level plenary session agreed that stronger policy implementation, investment in port infrastructure, indigenous shipping capacity, regional cooperation and climate-resilient maritime systems remain critical to unlocking Africa’s competitiveness in global shipping and trade.
