Stakeholders reinstate ability of maritime to take Nigeria out of recession

Stakeholders have again said that the nation’s shipping sector has the capacity to take Nigeria out of recession if properly harnessed to earn foreign exchange and create jobs to the youths. 

Bolaji Akinola, chief executive officer of Ships & Ports Communication Company, said during the 9th edition of the Annual Shipping Career Summit, organised by Ships & Ports that Nigeria’s maritime sector is endowed with enormous natural resources, which provides great potentials and opportunities necessary to achieve sustainable economic growth and development.

“The maritime sector is where every attention should now be focused because those who rule the seas rule the world. If we truly desire a quick end to recession and to emerge among leading economies of the world, we must pay closer attention to our maritime sector,” Akinola stated.

According to him, the Annual Shipping Career Summit was created to enlighten young Nigerians on the various career and investment opportunities that abound in the nation’s maritime sector. He urged the participants to position themselves to take advantage of such opportunities.

Akinola pointed that with Nigeria’s vast coastline measuring about 850 kilometres and an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of well over 300,000 square kilometres; 3,000 kilometres of navigable inland waterways; six major seaports, 11 oil terminals, and over 170 private jetties; rewarding careers await young Nigerians in various segments of the maritime industry.

Ignatius Nweke, deputy director, Public Relations of Nigeria’s Shippers Council (NSC), who represented Hassan Bello, the executive secretary/CEO of the Council, engaged the students on ‘How to Become an Importer/Exporter” while Emeka Akabogu, represented by a lawyer from Akabogu & Associates discussed the prospect of “Developing a Career in Maritime Law.”

The Igbobi College students showed a lot of excitement and enthusiasm during the programme as they sat through, learning topics including ‘How to Develop a Career at Sea’, by Adewale Ishola, former President of the Nigerian Association of Master Mariner (NAMM), and ‘How to Become a Customs Broker,” by President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Olayiwola Shittu.

The Summit, which had more than 200 students benefiting from career guidance, has held in cities like Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Ilorin, Abeokuta, Yenagoa, Makurdi and Warri since inception in 2006. Highpoint of the event was the presentation of books donated to the school by Ships & Ports to aid learning and enhance academic development of the students.