Dr. Afolabi

Barring any last minute change in the scheme of things, former Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice from 2007- 2011 and Partner, African Law Practice, a leading commercial law firm in Nigeria, Olasupo Shasore SAN, will deliver the keynote address at this year’s Taiwo Afolabi Annual Maritime Conference.

The conference, which is the 4th in the series, is slated to hold on Friday, September 13, 2019 at the JF Ade Ajayi Auditorium, University of Lagos.

The annual conference organised in honour of Dr Taiwo Afolabi, is an initiative of the Maritime Forum, University of Lagos and SIFAX Group.

Shasore will lead other eminent maritime industry leaders, legal experts, academics and university students drawn from about ten institutions to discuss on the theme “Innovations and Practical Reforms Toward Sustainable Growth in Nigeria’s Maritime Sector”.

Other discussants expected at the event include Vice President, Nigerian Ports Consultative Council; Major Henry Ajetunmobi, partner, Paul Usoro & Co., Adetola Bucknor Taiwo, Executive Director, Operations, Oceandeep Services, Rollens McFoy, former President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents; Prince Olayiwola Shittu, Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigerian Shippers Council; Hassan Bello and Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority Hadiza Bala Usman, among others.

While speaking on the forthcoming event, Dr Taiwo Afolabi, said the need to deepen discourse around topical issues in the country’s maritime industry, as well as proffering practical solutions to them gave birth to the conference.

He said: “The 4th edition of the conference would dwell on issues bordering on innovations and practical reforms needed towards the sustainability of growth in the country’s maritime industry. We are at a point where the country’s maritime sector needs a consistent and sustained growth. To achieve this, we need to invest in innovations and more reforms. The industry’s reform in 2006 which gave birth to the concession of the ports has yielded great gains for Nigeria. In fact the concession has served as a model for many other African countries. Now that we have seen the fruits of concession, we need to embark on more aggressive reforms and innovations that will make the maritime sector the major earner for the government.

“Distinguished experts have been invited as speakers to provide practical insights into various innovations and reforms we can embark on to achieve the maritime industry of our dreams. I look forward to the useful insights based on years of industry experience that they will bring to the conference. I am convinced that such insights would be useful to the industry, the government and participants.”

Meanwhile, President, Maritime Forum, Gbenga Akinlade, said the conference would be beneficial both to the industry and the students due to its objective of being an avenue to stimulate intellectual discussions between maritime experts and the university community, especially students with interest in the maritime industry, on contemporary issues in the industry, both locally and internationally. He further explained that the conference has launched a dedicated website (www.taamconference.com) where relevant information about the conference can be accessed.