By Sylvanus OBASI
The Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) is rallying the Nigerian maritime industry’s creme-de-la-cream, including the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, Tantita Security Services Limited, Engr Greg Ogbeifun, and the Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN), among others.
Frontline maritime lawyers are also billed to attend, including Mrs. Funke Agbor SAN and Dr. Emeka Akabogu SAN, who is expected to deliver the keynote address at MAMAL 2025. Terminal operators and the Chief Executive Officer of Lelook Bags, Chief Mrs Chinwe Ezenwa, are also on the list.
Other associations expected to attend include the Nigerian Trawler Owners Association (NITOA), the African Shipowners Association (ASA), the Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN), and the Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA).
MARAN also announced that MAMAL 2025, previously scheduled for August 28, 2025, at the Eko Hotel, has now been rescheduled for August 27, 2025, at the Four Point by Sheraton Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The event, which has the theme “Addressing the Burden of War Risk Insurance on Nigerian Maritime Trade,” will focus on the persistent imposition of Extra War Risk Insurance (EWRI) premiums on vessels operating in Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea.
The lecture will host strategic dialogues on maritime security, the impact of global shipping insurance practices, and the way forward for stakeholders in the fishing, shipping, and broader maritime sectors.
Stakeholders participation in the forthcoming MAMAL 2025 is considered critical and timely to help shape actionable outcomes and reinforce industry advocacy for safer waters and fairer trade conditions.
The lecture is expected to bring together over 500 industry participants, including shipowners, terminal operators, insurers, legal practitioners, maritime regulators, naval representatives, and diplomats.
Confirmed speakers include Dr. Emeka Akabogu (Maritime Lawyer), Barr. Temisan Omatseye (former DG, NIMASA), and top representatives from NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, and international maritime bodies.
Speaking on the upcoming MAMAL Annual Maritime Lecture 2025, MARAN President, Godfrey Bivbere explained that MAMAL 2025 aims to thoroughly examine the perceived threats, realities, and profound implications of persistent Extra War Risk Insurance (EWRI) on Nigeria’s maritime trade and the wider Gulf of Guinea (GoG).
Providing more details about the highly anticipated conference, which has consistently served as a crucial rallying point for all maritime stakeholders due to MARAN’s respected voice, Bivbere added:
“The Summit will also explore issues leading to the classification of the nation’s waters as high-risk zones, roles of classification societies like the Lloyds of London, the roles of core stakeholders like NIMASA, Nigerian Navy and other maritime and security operators.”
