The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has called for urgent action to eliminate the barriers that limit women’s participation in the maritime sector.
According to a statement on Monday, Oyetola stated this over the weekend in Lagos while speaking at the 8th Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association Africa Regional Conference, hosted by WISTA Nigeria.
The event was themed, ‘From Policy to Progress: Women Delivering Africa’s Shipping and Trade Energy Future’.
Oyetola, who was represented at the event by the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics in the ministry, Kalthum Ibrahim, said that women are already making significant contributions towards the development of the maritime industry.
“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,” Oyetola said.
Earlier, the President of WISTA Nigeria, Dr Odunayo Ani, called for stronger collaboration among governments, regulators, and industry stakeholders to ensure that Africa’s maritime and blue economy policies translate into measurable outcomes that promote inclusive growth, enhanced trade, and sustainable development.
Ani added that 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.
“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.
She also used the opportunity to appreciate the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, the International Maritime Organization, WISTA International, and other partners for supporting the conference.
Also speaking, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, 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 remains essential to unlocking Africa’s maritime potential,” Mobereola stated.
