The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is set to launch a Blue Economy Accelerator Programme aimed at identifying, developing and connecting young Nigerian innovators with investors and opportunities across the maritime sector.
Dr Dayo Mobereola, Director-General of NIMASA, disclosed this during the celebration of NIMASA Day at the Abuja International Trade Fair.
Mobereola, who was represented by Mrs Nneka Obianyor, the agency’s Director of Reform Coordination, Strategic Management and Blue Economy, said the programme reflects NIMASA’s intention to go beyond its traditional regulatory responsibilities and support young Nigerians developing solutions to challenges in the maritime industry.
He said the initiative was conceived against the backdrop of Nigeria’s large youth population and the need to create platforms through which innovative ideas can be developed into viable businesses and solutions.
According to NIMASA, the accelerator will target emerging solutions across several areas of the blue economy.
These include marine technology, maritime safety, surveillance and security, green shipping and vessel decarbonisation, seafarers’ welfare, port digitalisation, smart port solutions, coastal and artisanal fishing, coastal defence, marine tourism and deep-sea mining technologies.
The agency said the programme would provide opportunities for promising innovators to develop their ideas while connecting them with investors and other stakeholders capable of supporting commercialisation and scale.
Mobereola said NIMASA’s participation at the trade fair was also designed to explain its reforms, programmes and initiatives and demonstrate their relevance to the development of Nigeria’s maritime sector and wider blue economy.
The trade fair provided an opportunity for the agency to engage members of the public beyond its traditional industry stakeholders.
NIMASA also organised a maritime quiz for young visitors, with participants rewarded for demonstrating knowledge of Nigeria’s maritime sector, blue economy and the agency’s mandate.
The agency said the activities were intended to make the maritime sector more accessible to Nigerians and improve public understanding of how the industry contributes to the wider economy.
Mobereola explained that the maritime sector remains relevant even in landlocked locations such as Abuja because goods imported into or exported from Nigeria through its maritime gateways eventually reach consumers and businesses across the country.
He also highlighted the investment, employment, entrepreneurship and innovation opportunities associated with the blue economy.
