By Platform Reporters
LAGOS – Nigeria’s maritime economy represents a ₦5 trillion frontier that remains significantly underexploited, says Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola.
Mobereola stated this today at the High-Level Interactive Session on the NIMASA Blue Economy Accelerator Programme, NIMASA-BEAP, with the Organised Private Sector, DFIs and MDAs in Lagos.
He said Nigeria has 853 kilometres of coastline, six major commercial seaports and supports logistics for over two million barrels of oil per day, yet captures less than three percent of the value across the maritime value chain.
According to him, NIMASA-BEAP is not merely an agency programme, but a national economic imperative, aligned with the Federal Executive Council’s approval of the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy in May 2025.
The DG explained that the 12-week accelerator and National Hackathon, being implemented with Technical Partner, Opolo Global Innovation Ltd, will identify, develop and connect innovators across thirteen maritime tracks with mentors, investors and industry leaders.
He illustrated with the example of Amara, a young engineer in Port Harcourt who develops technology to reduce vessel turnaround time but lacks capital and industry access, noting that NIMASA-BEAP will ensure her innovation does not die in the laboratory.
Mobereola posed three critical questions: “Who will create the solutions? Who will own the opportunities? And who will capture the value?”
He called on stakeholders to translate commitments into Letters of Intent, saying Nigeria has the coastline, talent, market and policy framework, but needs capital, innovation and expertise to build an ecosystem where Nigerian solutions scale from Nigeria.
