By Sylvanus OBASI
The Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR), Lagos, has organized a two-day capacity-building workshop aimed at strengthening the ability of stakeholders to access and utilize digital spatial data for effective coastal and marine management.
The training, themed “Empowering Stakeholders: Training on Geoportal Use for Coastal and Marine Management,” was held from April 3 to 4, 2025, at the Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
It formed part of NIOMR’s mandate under the Marine and Coastal Areas Management in North and West Africa (MarCNoWA) project, implemented through the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) programme.
The workshop introduced participants to two major web-based platforms — the MarCNoWA Geoportal, developed by the University of Ghana, and the Copernicus Marine Service Portal, an EU-funded initiative providing open-access marine data for environmental monitoring and policy development.
According to the organizers, the objective of the training was to enhance the technical capacity of Nigerian stakeholders in using geospatial data for marine resource management, environmental monitoring, and informed decision-making in the blue economy sector.
Over 40 participants drawn from research institutions, policymaking bodies, NGOs, marine practice organisations, environmental agencies, and academia took part in the sessions, which included hands-on demonstrations on data access, visualization, and interpretation using digital geoportals.
The training attracted participants from government agencies, academic institutions, Local and foreign NGOs which included the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Federal Ministry of Environment, Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Office, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), University of Lagos, Federal University of Technology Akure, University of Calabar, Niger Delta University, Wetlands International, Nigerian Conservation Foundation, and Greenpeace Africa.
Private Sector & Tech Firms were not also left out as Geomatics Services Ltd and Blue Marine Tech Nigeria equally participated.
NIOMR’s Executive Director/CEO, Prof Sule Abiodun who led the institute’s team, emphasized the need for Nigeria to mainstream digital tools and Earth Observation technologies in coastal zone management.
He noted that such innovations would improve environmental surveillance and enhance policy interventions.
The training is one of several initiatives undertaken by NIOMR under the GMES and Africa Programme to promote the integration of geospatial information in marine research, planning, and sustainable resource management.
Participants expressed satisfaction with the quality of facilitation and pledged to apply the knowledge gained to strengthen marine ecosystem governance in their respective organisations.
A cross-section of participants at the training for empowering stakeholders on Geoportal use for Coastal and Marine Management. 5th from left is the Executive Director/CEO, NIOMR.
