The Federal Government has inaugurated the organising committee for the Nigeria Marine and Blue Economy Expo (NIMBEX), targeting investment in ports, shipping, logistics, offshore energy and other maritime sectors.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, on Thursday said the expo would connect policymakers, investors, industry leaders and technology companies as Nigeria seeks to turn its maritime resources into economic growth and jobs.
Oyetola, who was represented at the inauguration by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Fatima Mahmood, said NIMBEX would provide the capital, expertise and partnerships needed to unlock the sector’s potential.
“Nigeria’s marine and blue economy holds enormous potential to drive economic diversification, attract investment and create sustainable employment. NIMBEX will provide a strategic platform to bring together the capital, expertise and partnerships needed to unlock these opportunities,” he said.
The minister said the initiative would bridge the gap between Nigeria’s extensive maritime assets and the investment required to develop them.
Nigeria has an 853-kilometre coastline and more than 10,000 kilometres of navigable inland waterways across 28 states. The ministry said these assets could strengthen the country’s role in regional and international maritime trade.
The expo will focus on deep-sea mining, port development, shipping, inland waterways, logistics, offshore energy, maritime finance, fisheries, marine biotechnology, maritime security and environmental sustainability.
It will also highlight emerging opportunities in renewable marine energy, green shipbuilding, artificial intelligence-driven logistics, subsea robotics and coastal tourism.
The organising committee is chaired by the ministry’s Director of Marine Conservation, Innovation and Technology, Mr Husseini Shettima. The Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Hajia Kalthum Ibrahim, and the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Marine and Blue Economy, Professor Busayo Fakinlede, will serve as co-chairpersons.
Oyetola’s Special Adviser, Dr Bolaji Akinola, is a member of the committee and will serve as the expo’s Chief Operating Officer.
Membership also includes officials from the ministry’s technical departments and key maritime agencies, including the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency, National Inland Waterways Authority and the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria.
Representatives of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron; Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research; Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology; National Institute for Freshwater Fisheries Research, New Bussa; and the Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology in New Bussa and Baga are also on the committee.
Coastal states, terminal operators, shipowners, freight forwarders, barge operators and other maritime stakeholders are represented as well.
The ministry said the committee’s broad membership would support coordinated planning and implementation while linking investors to credible, policy-backed opportunities across the sector.
It added that NIMBEX would serve not only as an investment showcase but also as a platform for collaboration among government, industry, financial institutions and technology companies.
