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Nigeria has called for stronger international maritime partnerships to accelerate knowledge sharing, strengthen regulatory capacity and improve the safety, efficiency and environmental sustainability of global shipping.
The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, made the call while representing the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, at the 2026 World Maritime Day Parallel Event in Busan, Republic of Korea.
Mobereola urged maritime stakeholders to translate discussions and resolutions from the global gathering into practical partnerships capable of delivering measurable benefits to participating countries.
He identified stronger maritime regulation, professional capacity development and improved industry competitiveness as critical areas where international cooperation could drive tangible progress.
According to him, Nigeria intends to leverage the event to strengthen its regulatory performance, expand opportunities for Nigerian maritime professionals and enhance the country’s competitiveness in the global shipping industry.
These priorities align with the Federal Government’s Marine and Blue Economy agenda, which seeks to harness the maritime sector’s potential to drive economic growth and national development.
The NIMASA chief stressed that sustained international cooperation remained essential to addressing emerging challenges in global shipping, promoting innovation and advancing a maritime industry that prioritises safety, operational efficiency and environmental responsibility.
Mobereola is leading Nigeria’s delegation to the event, which brings together maritime leaders, policymakers and industry stakeholders to discuss developments affecting international shipping and explore opportunities for cross-border collaboration.
In a separate engagement, the NIMASA Director-General met with Kitack Lim, former Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), where he expressed appreciation for Lim’s contributions to the development of the global maritime industry during his tenure at the helm of the United Nations specialised agency.
The meeting also underscored the importance of sustained dialogue among maritime leaders in advancing shared industry objectives and strengthening cooperation across the international maritime community.
Nigeria’s participation in the Busan event reflects the government’s drive to deepen international maritime relations, strengthen professional expertise and build strategic partnerships that can unlock the economic potential of the marine and blue economy.
For Nigeria, the challenge remains converting these international engagements into practical outcomes that strengthen maritime governance, create opportunities for local professionals and position the country to compete more effectively in global shipping.
