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The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) has described digital transformation as the key to tackling maritime security threats such as piracy, illegal fishing and trafficking in the Gulf of Guinea, while creating new opportunities for women to lead innovation in the sector.
The Deputy Commandant of KAIPTC, Zibrim Bawah Ayorrogo, made the remark during the opening ceremony of a 3-day symposium on “Digitalization and the Empowerment of Women in the Maritime Sector of West Africa: Opportunities, Challenges and Pathways.”
The event, hosted in Lagos by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), was organised by KAIPTC in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and the Inter-Regional Coordination Centre.
Ayorrogo said the Gulf of Guinea remains a strategically important maritime corridor but continues to face complex threats.
“With the burden of security challenges including piracy, illegal fishing and trafficking, digital transformation presents a unique opportunity to enhance maritime domain awareness, improve coordination and strengthen response capabilities,” he said.
He stressed that women must not only be included in the digital maritime ecosystem but empowered to lead innovation and drive inclusive security solutions.
According to him, although women’s participation in maritime affairs has historically been limited by socio-cultural and institutional barriers, digital platforms now offer pathways for education, networking and leadership development.
He added that since 2021, KAIPTC has established a specialised department dedicated to women and youth issues in the peace and security domain, integrating gender perspectives into its training and research programmes.
Despite the progress, Ayorrogo noted that challenges such as limited access to technology, digital infrastructure gaps and gender disparities in STEM education still hinder women’s participation.
Also speaking, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dayo Mobereola, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to empowering women through digital capacity building across West Africa’s maritime sector.
Represented by the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Mr. Chudi Offordile, the NIMASA boss said digitalisation is rapidly transforming global shipping, port operations and maritime regulation.
He noted that while the shift creates new opportunities, women remain significantly underrepresented in many areas of maritime operations across West Africa.
Mobereola described digitalisation as a “great equaliser” capable of breaking traditional barriers by shifting the industry’s focus from physical strength to intellectual and technical capability.
According to him, digital platforms, AI-driven simulations and e-learning are expanding access to training, enabling women even in remote communities to develop skills required in the evolving maritime economy.
He added that the blue economy represents vast economic potential, stressing that empowering women in the sector is not only a matter of equity but also critical to sustainable industry growth.
The symposium attracted participants from government agencies, academic institutions, maritime organisations and media practitioners across the region.
