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DG NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA, Dr.Dakuku Peterside has said that the marine and oceans, which make up the blue economy, remain the fastest growing sector in the world with enormous business potential.

The DG of the agency, who spoke recently at the 23rd Nigerian Economic Summit with the theme: “Opportunities, Productivity and Employment: Actualising the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan”, therefore charged Nigerians to take full advantage of the vast opportunities inherent in the blue economy

The Nigerian Economic Summit, which is an annual event, serves as a platform where stakeholders from both public and private sectors converge to chart a way forward for the development of Nigeria’s economy.

He also said that with the length of the nation’s coastlines and the attendant volume of maritime trade, Nigeria is at an advantage of developing the blue economy and that stakeholders have to actively participate to reap the benefits of the economy.

“Developing the blue economy is paramount across the globe now, and the public and private sectors have to collaborate to sustainably harness the potentials of our maritime sector for the benefit of the Nigerian economy especially as the Federal Government continues the economic diversification drive”

“It is therefore high time Nigerians began to tap into the opportunities embedded in the maritime industry. Economies such as Singapore, Ukraine and South Korea thrive on the activities of their maritime industry”, he said.

He further made a strong case for the evolution of maintenance culture, development of adequate data management and statistics as well as articulated actions from stakeholders backed up with political will.

Peterside projected that Nigeria will be a leading light in the comity of maritime nations if these natural resources were optimally harnessed and utilised.

The DG further advocated synergy among stakeholders, stating that the agency with the support of the Federal Government is working assiduously to ensure that Nigerians reap the benefits that abound the industry, pointing out that the newly approved maritime security architecture will effectively reduce piracy and other related sea crimes.

Many notable maritime stakeholders were in attendance at this year’s edition of the summit, which include former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Dr. Olisa Agbokoba, Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Mr. Hassan Bello, and Chairman of Genesis Worldwide Shipping, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, among several others.

Recall that the DG has always urged maritime stakeholders on the need to actively participate in the nation’s maritime industry in order to support the growth of the country’s blue economy.

Only recently, the agency organised a harmonised stakeholders’ interactive forum with the theme: ‘Synergy: An Instrument for Sustainable Development of the Blue Economy’.