By Seun Ibiyemi
The Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Mukhtar Shehu Shagari, has sought stronger collaboration with the World Maritime University (WMU) to accelerate the development of Nigeria’s inland waterways through capacity building, research and technical support.
Shagari made the call during a strategic meeting with the President of the World Maritime University, Prof. Maximo Q. Mejia Jr., on the sidelines of the ongoing International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council Meeting in London.
The meeting, attended by NIWA’s Acting Managing Director, Yusuf Girei, focused on leveraging global expertise to strengthen Nigeria’s inland waterways sector through maritime education, workforce development and sustainable transportation systems.
Speaking during the engagement, Shagari reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to modernising its inland waterways infrastructure and developing the skilled manpower required to drive growth in the sector.
He said the country’s extensive inland waterways network offers enormous opportunities for transportation, trade facilitation and the advancement of the blue economy.
According to him, strategic partnerships with globally recognised maritime institutions are critical to achieving the Federal Government’s objectives of improving safety, operational efficiency and economic activities along Nigeria’s inland waterways.
The NIWA Board Chairman noted that enhanced collaboration in research, training and knowledge exchange would equip Nigerian maritime professionals with the technical skills needed to address emerging industry challenges while aligning the country’s waterways sector with international best practices.
Responding, the President of the World Maritime University, Prof. Mejia, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to supporting member states through education, research and capacity development programmes.
He commended Nigeria’s renewed focus on maritime development and expressed the university’s readiness to strengthen cooperation with relevant government agencies and industry stakeholders.
According to Mejia, sustainable growth in the maritime sector depends on continuous investment in human capital, innovation and strict compliance with international standards.
Both parties also explored opportunities for specialised training programmes, academic exchanges and institutional partnerships aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s maritime administration and inland waterways management framework.
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Maritime stakeholders described the engagement as a significant step towards connecting Nigeria’s inland waterways sector with global centres of excellence and enhancing the country’s capacity to adopt international best practices in water transport development.
The meeting formed part of a series of high-level engagements at the IMO Council session, where maritime leaders are deliberating on policies and initiatives aimed at promoting safer, more secure and environmentally sustainable shipping worldwide.
