STAKEHOLDERS SEEK SUSTAINBLE GROWTH IN BLUE ECONOMY AT TRANSQUEST SYMPOSIUM
...make recommendations for sustainable development
A cross section of participants at the symposium.
Story by Dili Utomi.
The main hall of the Shoregate hotel in Ikeja GRA played host, Saturday to some experts in the Maritime industry as the publishers of the Transquest Magazine organised their 2026 annual symposium and awards. The event was titled “Appraising Nigeria’s Blue Economy: Charting a Pathway to Sustainable Growth”.
The convener of the symposium and the publisher of the Transquest Magazine, Felix Kumuyi in his opening address noted the important economic advantages of the maritime sector. He argued that “The Blue Economy has rightly emerged as one of Nigeria’s most promising frontiers for economic diversification, employment generation and sustainable national development. Beyond our ports and shipping activities lies an enormous wealth embedded in our oceans, inland waterways, fisheries, aquaculture, marine tourism, coastal resources, renewable marine energy and maritime services”.
Kumuyi added that “The creation of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has undoubtedly signaled government’s recognition of this immense potential”.
The occasion was chaired by Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs (Rtd), Charles Eporwei Edike who encouraged all government entities within the sector to set all differences aside and work collaboratively to grow the sector.
In his presentation, the president of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licence Customs Agents, Mr Lucky Amiweru took a look at the unlimited potentials within the maritime sector. He concluded that “Blue Economy initiatives depend on access to sustainable financing and investment, innovative financing mechanism as public-private partnerships (PPPs) are emerging solutions to mobilise capital for ocean related projects, while ensuring environmental and social safeguards”.
Chief Eugene Nweke while presenting his paper titled “Re-appraising Nigeria’s Blue Economy Through An Integrated Governance Framework For Sustainable Growth” posited that” History will not remember us because we established a ministry of Marine and Blue Economy”.
He opined that “History will remember us if we transform that ministry into a catalyst for national prosperity. It will remember us if Nigeria becomes Africa’s Prefered maritime and logistics hub. It will remember us if we move decisively from maritime potential to maritime productivity’.
From left are Lucky Amiweru, DCG (Rtd) Charles Edike, Chief Eugene Nweke and the representative of the CAC FOU Zone AC Manga the event.
Veteran journalist, Elder ASU Beks led the panel session. Participants agreed at the end of the symposium that the government should go beyond the key performance indicators and deliberately pay attention to implementation and supervision. Who monitors the monitor was a recurring question that hung in the air.
They also opined that the Blue Economy initiative is a novel idea in Nigeria and that intentionally precise work on the initiative should be carried out, fisheries tourism, transportation, ship maintenance and building and all the areas with potentials should be deliberately explored and exploited.
They also agreed that Nations that succeed in this area do not dwell on wishful thinking, but make clear and concise efforts to achieve policy objectives. This is in order to move from potential to productivity.
The participants also advised that all hands must be on deck, the government agencies, private investors and the media do have a lot of roles to play in the sustainable development of the maritime sector.
They added that the overlapping nature of policies and functions should be removed and operational methods streamlined to remove duplication, make the operating atmosphere less cumbersome and engender better efficiency in the sector.
Many industry personalities were awarded on the day and those included six journalists who have covered the maritime sector for several decades.
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