Former Director of Public Relations of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Hajia Lami Tumarka; retired Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Charles Edike and President of Women in Maritime Africa, WIMA, Theodora Nwanze, have confirmed their participation in the forthcoming Network of Nigeria Maritime Journalists, NNMJ Unity Conference.

The conference, scheduled for Friday, November 13, 2026, at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, will examine strategies for modernising Nigeria’s seaports, improving trade facilitation and strengthening revenue generation across the maritime sector.

Former NIMASA Director-General, Temisan Omatseye, will chair the event, while the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, will attend as Special Guest of Honour.

Renowned maritime lawyer, Emeka Akabogu, SAN, is expected to deliver the keynote address.

With the theme, “Seaport Modernisation, Trade Facilitation and Revenue,” the conference will bring together policymakers, heads of maritime agencies, industry leaders, legal practitioners, freight forwarders and private-sector operators to discuss the performance and future direction of Nigeria’s maritime industry.

Deliberations will focus on government reforms, infrastructure development and measures to improve the sector’s contribution to national economic growth.

Key areas of discussion include seaport modernisation, rehabilitation of critical port infrastructure, ease of doing business, trade facilitation, revenue optimisation and strategies to identify and eliminate financial leakages across the maritime value chain.

Participants will also examine opportunities for expanding Nigeria’s marine and blue economy, creating employment, strengthening maritime safety and security, and improving the global competitiveness of the country’s seaports.

The conference, scheduled to commence at 11 a.m., is also expected to provide a platform for stakeholders to assess existing government policies, identify implementation gaps and propose practical solutions to challenges affecting port operations and legitimate trade.

In a joint statement, NNMJ Chairman, Elder Dele Aderibigbe, and the organisation’s Public Relations Officer, Jerry Aguigbo, said the conference was designed to promote informed dialogue, strengthen stakeholder collaboration and generate practical recommendations for addressing challenges in the maritime industry.

They said the gathering would enable stakeholders to examine policy implementation and develop sustainable approaches to improving port efficiency, boosting government revenue and unlocking the economic potential of the maritime sector.

The NNMJ leadership also highlighted the role of maritime journalism in promoting transparency and accountability, providing credible industry analysis and sustaining informed public discussions on policies and regulatory interventions affecting the marine and blue economy.

They expressed confidence that the conference would strengthen relationships among industry stakeholders and encourage meaningful engagement towards building a more efficient, transparent and globally competitive maritime industry.