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Maritime industry heavyweights, including Convener of African Downstream Energy Week and Senior Partner at Akabogu & Associates, Dr. Emeka Akabogu, SAN; Executive Director, Operations and Technical, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Capt. Warredi Enisuoh; as well as the Port Manager, Lagos Port Complex, Mr. Debo Lawal are scheduled to headline the 6th Maritime Writes Project (MWP) Creative Writing Bootcamp.
The 2026 edition, themed “Voyages Through Chokepoints: Power, Passage and Lives at Sea,” will bring maritime professionals, academics, writers and young storytellers together to explore the industry through creative storytelling, mentorship and experiential learning.
Convener and Project Coordinator, Ezinne Azunna, said the programme will officially open on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, with a ceremony at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, at 9am.
She said the 2026 edition would spotlight the complexities of global maritime routes, strategic chokepoints, trade corridors and the human experiences underpinning ocean transportation.
According to Azunna, 50 participants have been selected after submitting original short stories of between 4,000 and 5,000 words, centred on a voyage to or from any Nigerian port through a global maritime chokepoint or major sea trade route.
The stories are expected to capture coastal communities, maritime culture, seafarers’ experiences, maritime adventure, trade, ocean heritage and the historical dimensions of the industry, while demonstrating compelling conflict and resolution.
The distinguished faculty and speakers will also include; Prof. Adegbite Tobalase, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Adeleke University and Head of Faculty, Maritime Writes Project; Mrs. Nneka Obianyor, Director, Reforms Coordination & Blue Economy and former Registrar of Ships, NIMASA; Capt. Marvin Omovbude, Harbour Master, Lagos Pilotage District, Nigerian Ports Authority; and veteran journalist and former Deputy Editor of Thisday newspaper, Mr. Oji Onoko.
Others are: Dr. Akanbi Williams, Director, International Ocean Institute-Nigeria; Madam Ifeoma Nwagbogu, maritime expert and linguist; Madam Vivian Chimezie-Azubuike, the Director General, Nigerian Chamber of Shipping; and Capt. Oluwasegun Akanbi, Master Mariner and President, MAPROD.
The opening ceremony will be chaired by Mr. Debo Lawal, Port Manager, Lagos Port Complex, Nigerian Ports Authority.
Beyond the writing component, the three-day bootcamp will feature intensive writing masterclasses, mentorship sessions, interactions with maritime industry professionals and experiential activities designed to expose participants to the realities of the sector.
A major highlight will be a guided tour of the Nigerian Navy’s Naval Dockyard in Victoria Island, Lagos, providing participants with first-hand exposure to a key maritime and naval facility.
The bootcamp is divided into two categories: Maritime Writes Junior, for children aged 6 to 13, and Maritime Writes Senior, for participants aged 14 to 60.
“Successful participants will receive certificates, while 10 outstanding stories will be selected for publication in the Maritime Writes Anthology, giving emerging writers an opportunity to reach a wider audience and contribute to Nigeria’s growing maritime literary culture,” Azunna said.
The Maritime Writes Project has established the bootcamp as a platform for using creative writing to deepen public understanding of maritime issues, nurture literary talent and strengthen the connection between storytelling and Nigeria’s maritime industry.
