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Women in Maritime (WIMA) Nigeria has donated two fishing boats and fishing nets to members of Tomoro riverine community in Lagos, as part of efforts to strengthen livelihoods and expand economic opportunities within Nigeria’s coastal communities.
The intervention was made during a community empowerment outreach at Tomoro, Araromi Onisiwo, where WIMA Nigeria President, Mrs. Theodora Nwaeze, said the initiative reflected the organisation’s commitment to ensuring that coastal communities are not left behind in the growth of Nigeria’s Blue Economy.
Nwaeze posited that WIMA Nigeria’s administration is anchored on four key pillars; empowerment, innovation, collaboration and national visibility, which the outreach was designed to translate into practical action.
According to her, the association is committed to strengthening women and communities with opportunities capable of improving livelihoods and economic participation, while promoting sustainable approaches to fisheries, food processing and other Blue Economy activities.
Addressing women and youths in the community, Nwaeze encouraged them not see themselves merely as beneficiaries but as partners in the development of Nigeria’s Blue Economy.
“We believe that when we empower a woman, we strengthen a family; when we strengthen a community, we strengthen the nation,” she said.
Delivering the keynote address, Chief (Mrs.) Jean Chiazor Anishere, SAN, a former Continental President of African Women in Maritime (WIMA) and inaugural President of WIMA Nigeria, described the donation as more than the presentation of productive assets, saying it represented an investment in people, livelihoods and the future of riverine communities.
Anishere, who is also President of the Maritime Arbitrators Association of Nigeria (MAAN), declared that “empowerment is not charity; empowerment is economic development,” adding that she would deploy the influence and opportunities associated with her status as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria to support development initiatives in the riverine community.
She said the boats and fishing equipment could create employment, improve household incomes and strengthen the wider fisheries value chain, while urging beneficiaries to operate the boats safely, maintain them properly and embrace sustainable fishing practices.
While calling for further complementary interventions, including modern fishing training, safety equipment, access to affordable finance and insurance, improved fish storage and processing facilities, market access and infrastructure to ensure that the intervention produces sustainable economic impact; the Learned Silk donated a N2million support to the community.
She also urged government and maritime stakeholders to improve landing sites, roads, electricity, water, healthcare and security in fishing communities, stressing that Nigeria’s Blue Economy ambitions must extend beyond ports and boardrooms to the people whose livelihoods depend directly on the country’s waters.
Also speaking, the President of the Modern Crayfish Fishermen Cooperative Multipurpose Society Limited, Hon. Ben Mosan, commended WIMA for its commitment to empowering women and transforming fishing communities, saying the cooperative was interested in deepening collaboration with the organisation.
Mosan identified skills and entrepreneurship development as a major area for partnership, particularly through financial support and business training that could help more women achieve financial independence and build sustainable livelihoods in the maritime sector.
He also called for collaboration in health and wellness education, noting that access to accurate information and preventive care was vital to keeping women healthy and economically productive.
Mosan further emphasised the importance of leadership and advocacy, saying the cooperative wanted to support initiatives that would equip women to speak, lead and influence decisions in their homes, workplaces and communities.
He expressed the cooperative’s readiness to work with WIMA in building the next generation of female leaders and expanding opportunities for women across fishing and maritime communities.
The WIMA President thanked the community, partners and stakeholders who contributed to the outreach, reaffirming the organisation’s commitment to building bridges, creating opportunities and amplifying the voices of women in Nigeria’s coastal communities.
