The International Maritime Institute of Nigeria (IMION) has wrapped up a high-level, three-day executive course aimed at equipping critical stakeholders with the tools to overhaul Nigeria’s maritime logistics and unlock the vast potentials of the Blue Economy.
Held under the theme “Logistics and Trade Facilitation for Blue Economy Growth: Transforming Nigeria’s Blue Economy Through Smart Logistics, Trade Facilitation and Sustainable Growth,” the intense capacity-building session ran from September 7 to September 9, 2026.
To institutionalise this knowledge, the Institute has entered strategic partnerships including an ongoing engagement with the Admiralty University of Nigeria (ADUN) to provide formal academic certification for its executive programmes.
Speaking virtually on Wednesday, September 9, during the closing ceremony at the IMION Auditorium, NNS Quorra, Apapa, IMION Board Member Barr. (Mrs) Mfon Ekong Usoro revealed that the Director-General, Rear Admiral Thaddeus Udofia (rtd), is already in talks with other premier institutions to expand this certification network.
Highlighting the economic value of the programme, Usoro stated: “Given the depth of the courses and the analysis, IMION wants to make the certificates useful in the job market, not just for those of you who are already top executives, but for the upcoming professionals. We want it to be a certificate that counts toward their promotion and grants them admission into other qualifying courses. We will make an official announcement on that very soon.”
Usoro commended the participants for their deep dedication to their group assignments during the course. She stressed that IMION’s approach balances core theory with real-world application: “What IMION is doing is not merely academic; we are bringing it home to practical situations.”
Meanwhile, the IMION Director-General stressed the absolute need for collaboration among blue economy regulatory agencies and private-sector stakeholders. “The development of Nigeria’s blue economy cannot be achieved by one institution or sector working alone,” Udofia insisted.
In his closing address, Udofia explicitly charged the participants to deploy their new skills immediately. “The knowledge acquired through the programme will only have its full value if it translates into action,” he stated.
Underscoring the stakes, the Institute warned that “the blue economy is not a distant economic frontier” but an active engine that already “accounts for the majority of global seaborne trade.” The sector holds the ultimate key to Nigeria’s economic advancement, particularly across industrialisation, job creation, regional integration, and frameworks like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
However, Udofia noted that regardless of potential, operational efficiency remains “the currency of modern global trade.” He issued a stark warning regarding the cost of inaction: “If our transit times remain uncompetitive, logistics costs continue to be prohibitive, and our processes lack transparency and integrated digitalisation, cargo will bypass our corridors for other regional hubs. Consequently, the cost of goods and services would remain prohibitively elevated, thereby further impoverishing our citizens’ livelihoods and stifling our national economic development.”
To rewrite this narrative, Udofia insisted that the nation must achieve seamless, synchronised operations across every maritime touchpoint. “Changing these stark narratives requires synchronised inter-agency execution among the customs, port authorities, security operators, investors, regulators, and private logistics operators,” he stated.
Turning his attention directly to the graduating class, the Director-General challenged them to lead the charge. “You, our participants seated here, are the bridge builders of this necessary collaboration. As you return to your respective duties, do not leave the insights from this course in your notebooks.”
He charged them to “be the change agents who advocate for data sharing and digital transparency” within their organisations, “boost practical reforms that reduce transaction friction at our ports and the entire logistics and trade value chain,” and “translate the strategies made into actionable policies that lower the cost of doing business in Nigeria.”
True trade facilitation, he emphasised, extends far beyond just moving cargo quickly. “It is about creating an efficient ecosystem in which businesses can trade with confidence, investors can operate efficiently, government can collect legitimate revenue, and our ports and maritime corridors can compete effectively within the global economy.”
To achieve this, he urged the attendees to return to their respective organisations “with a renewed commitment to seeking ways of improving efficiency by reducing unnecessary delays, lowering logistics costs, and improving import efficiency, as well as strengthening regulatory coordination and embracing technology and innovation.”
Reiterating that Nigeria’s vast maritime wealth cannot yield sustainable economic prosperity without a radical overhaul of its trade systems, Udofia explained that the executive training intentionally confronted hard operational realities.
These included “examining output inefficiencies, avoidable delays, high transaction costs, bureaucratic bottlenecks, inter-agency rivalry, and weak intermodal connectivity, which have continued to suffocate the country’s competitive edge.”
The curriculum also addressed systemic logistics integrations. “We considered multimodal integration, where our facilitators walked us through modern customs processes, port operations, and the critical need for seamless multimodal transport networks,” Udofia noted. “Additionally, we discussed our value chain realities, during which we identified the weakest links causing severe vulnerabilities, such as gaps in infrastructure that interfere with our fisheries and aquaculture potential.”
Closing the event, Rear Admiral Akinsola Johnson (rtd), another prominent member of the IMION Governing Board, reminded the participants that sustained institutional commitment overrides personal limitations. He urged them to remember that solving complex maritime bottlenecks requires a “multidisciplinary approach towards solving problems.”
Johnson left the graduates with a final warning on institutional habits: “Maintain the right culture and work strategy. Otherwise, a wrong culture will destroy whatever strategy is put in place.”
The milestone three-day event concluded in spectacular fashion as the Director-General hosted a distinguished cocktail reception for all delegates and invited dignitaries.
Even a torrential evening downpour could not damp the spirits of the attendees. Gathering in high spirits, participants enthusiastically celebrated their acquisition of transformative, sector-shifting insights. The glamorous evening also served as the exclusive platform for the formal unveiling of the highly anticipated second edition of the IMION Newsletter, capping off a landmark week for Nigeria’s maritime future.
