Lagos, June 29, 2026 – Dr. Odunayo Ani, the President of the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria, has called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders in Africa to ensure sustainable growth of the sector.
She also called for policies that could make Africa’s maritime and Blue Economy translate into measurable outcomes that promote inclusive growth, enhanced trade and sustainable development.
Ani made the call 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.”
She said Africa’s Blue Economy presents enormous opportunities to strengthen trade corridors, improve maritime connectivity and unlock economic prosperity through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“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.
Ani, commended 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.
Adegboyega Oyetola, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, called for urgent action to eliminate the barriers that limit women participation emphasising that women are already making significant contributions towards the development of the maritime industry.
The minister, who was represented by Hajia Kalthum Ibrahim, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics in the ministry, said “the challenge before us is to remove the barriers that still limit participation and to create the partnerships that enable women to enter, thrive and lead within the industry.
“We must invest in skills development, strengthen institutions, leverage technology, deepen regional cooperation and create conditions that allow women and young people to contribute meaningfully to the sector’s goals”.
Dr. Dayo Mobereola, the Director General of NIMASA, reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to promoting gender inclusion and sustainable growth within the maritime industry.
“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 remain essential to unlocking Africa’s maritime potential,” Mobereola stated.
Dr. Dakuku Peterside, a former Director General of NIMASA, in his keynote presentation, challenged African governments to move beyond policy formulation to practical implementation, stressing that the continent has signed numerous international conventions, regional agreements and maritime strategies but has yet to fully unlock their economic benefits through deliberate execution.
“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,” he said.
Peterside noted that shipping drives global trade, while trade depends on efficient ports, modern infrastructure, reliable institutions and a skilled maritime workforce. He described Africa’s transition to a greener maritime industry as an opportunity to modernise ports, strengthen indigenous shipping capacity, develop regional logistics networks, attract green investments and create employment for young Africans.
He advocated stronger enforcement of maritime policies, greater institutional coordination, increased investment in maritime education and innovative financing models to position Africa for greater competitiveness in global shipping.
