The President, Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON), Vera Osokpo, on Friday welcomed dignitaries to the association’s 2026 Maritime Training Summit, themed “The Power of Innovation in a Future-Ready Maritime Training Agenda,” held at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja.
In her welcome address, Osokpo said the theme was deliberately chosen to set a clear tone for a new phase in the maritime sector, stating that if Nigeria must lead in Africa, its maritime sector must take the lead.
She commended NLNG Shipping and Marine Services Limited (NSML) for partnering with AMJON on the summit, thanking the company for proving that the private sector can help build the future of the maritime industry. She also expressed gratitude to paper presenters from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), NSML, the Nigeria Customs Service, and the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, as well as the security agencies present, including the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Navy, for their role in securing the nation’s waterways and ports.
Speaking on the role of maritime journalists, Osokpo said the summit was not just a training but a mission, describing journalists as the bridge between policy and the people, and between the port and the public. She stressed that journalists cannot report on innovation or shape the narrative around the future of the industry without first understanding it, urging AMJON members to use the summit to learn, be equipped, and lead the conversation on a modern Nigerian maritime industry.
Addressing the dignitaries in attendance, including senators, government functionaries and local government chairmen, Osokpo said their presence affirmed that maritime is not merely a sectoral issue but a national one. “When the ports work, Nigeria works,” she said.
She noted that the summit would also honour Nigerians who have served the country with excellence in the maritime sector, telling the awardees that Nigeria sees and celebrates them.
Osokpo concluded by welcoming all attendees and expressing hope that the summit would generate ideas to move Nigeria’s maritime industry forward.