Dr. Taiwo Afolabi

 

The University of Lagos is putting finishing touches to plans to hold the second edition of the Taiwo Afolabi Annual Maritime Conference, which is scheduled to hold Friday, August 4, 2017 at the university auditorium.

The annual conference, an initiative of the Maritime Forum of the university and the SIFAX Group, is organised in honour of Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, Executive Vice Chairman of the SIFAX Group.

A statement by the Corporate Affairs Manager of the SIFAX Group, Muyiwa Akande, said that eminent maritime industry leaders, legal experts, academics, and university students drawn from about eight institutions will converge to share their thoughts on the theme: ‘Nigeria’s Port Reforms’.

The statement also says that the keynote address will be on ‘Developing Critical Port Infrastructure through Public-Private Partnership’.

Some speakers and discussants expected at the event include the Executive Vice Chairman, ENL Consortium, Princess Vicky Haastrup, Senior Partner, Adepetun, Caxton-Martins, Agbor & Segun Law Firm and a past President of Women In Shipping and Trading Association WISTA Nigeria, Mrs. Funke Agbor SAN, Executive Director of the SIFAX Group; Major Henry Ajetunmobi, Director,  Delloitte West Africa Mr. Bola Asiru,  and  Partner, Templars Law Mr. Inam Wilson, among others.

Former President of the Nigerian Trawler Owners Association NITOA, Mrs. Margaret Orakwusi is expected to chair the event.

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 second edition of the conference would dwell on the infrastructural deficit in the industry. This is necessary in view of the challenges that port users, including regulatory agencies, investors, clearing agents, clients, workers, among others, encounter in accessing, discharging and regulating port activities. This has a negative economic impact for all stakeholders, including the government.

“Distinguished experts have been invited as speakers to provide practical roadmap that will lead to concrete and sustainable solutions to the problem. 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.”

President, Maritime Forum, Mr. Ilemobade Olateru-Olagbegi, who also spoke on the event, 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.