The Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Africa has called for stronger collaboration among governments, regulators and industry stakeholders to ensure that Africa’s maritime and Blue Economy policies translate into tangible outcomes that promote inclusive growth, enhance trade and drive sustainable development.
Speaking at the 8th WISTA Africa Regional Conference hosted by WISTA Nigeria in Lagos, President of WISTA Nigeria, Dr. Odunayo Ani, said Africa’s Blue Economy offers immense opportunities to strengthen trade corridors, improve maritime connectivity and unlock economic prosperity through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The conference, themed “From Policy to Progress: Women Delivering Africa’s Shipping and Trade Energy Future,” brought together maritime leaders, policymakers and industry stakeholders from across the continent.
Dr. Ani stressed that policy implementation, rather than policy formulation, would determine Africa’s ability to harness the full potential of its maritime sector.
“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 expressed appreciation to 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 limiting women’s participation in the maritime industry.
According to him, women are already making significant contributions to the sector, but greater investment in skills development, institutional capacity, technology, regional cooperation and partnerships is needed to enable more women and young people to thrive in the industry.
“The challenge before us is to remove the barriers that still limit participation and create the partnerships that enable women to enter, thrive and lead within the industry,” he said.
Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to promoting gender inclusion and sustainable maritime development.
He noted that NIMASA would continue to support initiatives that promote professional excellence, gender inclusion and stronger collaboration among governments, industry stakeholders and professional associations to unlock Africa’s maritime potential.
Delivering the keynote address, maritime strategist and former Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, urged African governments to move beyond policy formulation to effective implementation.
He observed that while many African countries have signed international conventions and regional maritime agreements, the continent has yet to fully realise their economic benefits because of weak execution.
“Africa must deliberately move from signing policies to building institutions, infrastructure and capacity,” Peterside said, adding that greater opportunities should also be created for women to occupy leadership positions in the maritime industry.
He described the transition to a greener maritime sector as an opportunity to modernise ports, strengthen indigenous shipping capacity, attract green investments, develop regional logistics networks and create jobs for young Africans.
Peterside also advocated stronger enforcement of maritime policies, improved institutional coordination, increased investment in maritime education and innovative financing models to boost Africa’s competitiveness in global shipping.
In his goodwill message, the Oniru of Iru Kingdom, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal, CON, Abisogun II, described the Blue Economy as one of Africa’s greatest opportunities for sustainable development and commended WISTA Africa and WISTA Nigeria for promoting dialogue and practical solutions for the maritime sector.
Earlier, Chairperson of the Convention Planning Committee, Dr. Oma Ofodile, welcomed delegates from across Africa and beyond, describing the conference as a landmark event for WISTA Nigeria. She urged participants to ensure that the deliberations result in practical actions capable of advancing Africa’s maritime industry.
A high-level plenary session on “From Commitment to Delivery: Maritime Policy, Net-Zero Transitions and Trade in Africa: Bridging the Gap between What Africa Signs and What Africa Builds” examined practical strategies for translating Africa’s maritime commitments into concrete development outcomes.
Panelists identified sustained investment in port infrastructure, stronger policy implementation, indigenous shipping capacity, regional collaboration, trade facilitation and climate-resilient maritime systems as key priorities for unlocking the full potential of Africa’s Blue Economy and improving the continent’s competitiveness in global shipping and trade.
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