The President, Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria, Dr Odunayo Ani has canvassed for a multi-stakeholder collaboration as key engine for effective policy delivery in the maritime sector.
PLATFORM REPORTERS reports that the WISTA Nigeria President made the remarks today while delivering a goodwill message at the 2026 First Quarter Citizens and Stakeholders Engagement Meeting organised by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
In her speech, the WISTA Nigeria President who doubles as Director of Financial Services department in NIMASA stated as follows:
“It is a great honour to be here today in my capacity as President of the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria, and I am delighted to extend our warm goodwill to the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy as we gather for this 2026 First Quarter Citizens and Stakeholders’ Engagement Meeting.
“The theme of this engagement, “Enhancing Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration for Sustainable Implementation of the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy,” could not be more timely.
“At a moment when Nigeria’s blue economy policy framework is in place, its full implementation depends on the collective will and coordinated action of every stakeholder represented here.
“Policies, no matter how well crafted, do not implement themselves. They require people, institutions, and a shared commitment across sectors, disciplines, and levels of authority.
“What brings us together today is that shared commitment.The marine and blue economy touches everyone, including regulators, ship operators, port authorities, financiers, and coastal communities.
“When these stakeholders operate in silos, the result is duplication, gaps, and policies that look strong on paper but struggle at the point of implementation. Multi-stakeholder collaboration is therefore the engine of effective policy delivery.
“It is the mechanism through which national policy moves beyond the pages of a gazette and takes root across our shipping lanes, coastal communities, inland waterways, ports, terminals, and trading corridors. Forums such as this are critical because they bring the right voices together to shape outcomes collectively.
“WISTA Nigeria is proud to be part of this conversation. This is something we understand deeply, because by design, WISTA is itself a multi-stakeholder connector.
“Our membership cuts across ship owners, charterers, port operators, finance professionals, legal practitioners, regulators, and academics, all united by a commitment to excellence and gender inclusion in the maritime and trading sectors.
“We sit comfortably at the intersection of industry, government, and civil society, and we understand better than most that durable progress in this sector requires all of those constituencies pulling in the same direction.
“So when the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy calls for enhanced collaboration, WISTA is not simply answering a call. We are already living that call.
“We also recognize that this engagement builds on an existing foundation of dialogue and collaboration within the maritime sector. WISTA Nigeria has been an active contributor to this foundation through capacity building programmes, stakeholder engagement initiatives, and advocacy efforts across the maritime and trade sectors, the maritime amazon stated.
Speaking further, Dr Ani commended the Honourable Minister and the leadership of the Ministry for their commitment to inclusive engagement and evidence based policymaking, saying that when government creates space for stakeholders in this way, the outcome is not only better policy, but also stronger national development.
She also urged all stakeholders to engage actively for a beter policy implementation by the ministry, adding that WISTA Nigeria would continue to collaborate, contribute and support the goals of the federal government.
“As we deliberate today, I encourage all participants to engage actively, ask questions, share insights, and build the connections that will extend this work beyond this room.
“WISTA Nigeria reaffirms its commitment to continued collaboration, professional contributions, and full support for the goals of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and the sustainable growth of Nigeria’s blue economy.
“We look forward to the outcomes of today’s engagement and trust that the conversations held here will strengthen the collaborative foundation our sector continues to build upon”, she posited.
