Nigeria’s quest to reclaim its place in global shipping received a major boost on Tuesday as His Imperial Majesty, Oba Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja, the Olubadan of Ibadan and former shipowner, pledged full support for the revival of the nation’s maritime and shipping industry at the relaunch of the Nigeria Maritime Expo (NIMAREX) in Lagos.
The monarch delivered a blunt assessment of the state of Nigeria’s shipping sector, describing it as “a sorry state” and urging government to urgently restore support for ocean-going operations if the industry is to recover.
“Something is wrong with the Nigerian shipping industry; maybe the government is not supporting it,” Oba Ladoja declared. “I support NIMAREX financially, morally, and physically to revive the industry.”
He lamented Nigeria’s loss of indigenous fleet capacity, recalling that the country once operated 30 ocean-going vessels under the defunct Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL). Had the fleet been preserved, he argued, Nigeria would today command more than 150 vessels trading internationally, creating an estimated 150,000 direct and indirect jobs.
“The jobs are there, especially in the oil and gas sector, but Nigerians cannot participate because they don’t have ships,” he said. “Nigerian youths need jobs, and I will join the effort of NIMAREX to revive the shipping sector.”
Oba Ladoja’s remarks set the tone for a renewed push to reclaim Nigeria’s maritime potential at a time stakeholders are calling for a unified industry agenda.
Earlier, Chairman of the NIMAREX 2025 Organising Committee, Otunba Shola Adewumi, emphasised that the expo—returning 11 years after its last edition—is more than an event; it is a strategic platform for collaboration and industry renewal.
“With the theme ‘Repositioning the Nigerian Maritime Industry – Need for Strategic Collaboration for Sustainable Growth and Global Competitiveness,’ NIMAREX is the voice of the Nigerian maritime industry,” Adewumi said. “It is our platform to engage, innovate, and chart a new course toward realizing the full potential of our marine and blue economy.”
He praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for establishing the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, noting that the idea was first recommended in the resolutions of the maiden NIMAREX in 2011. Adewumi also acknowledged the support of the Minister, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, whose leadership he said had “rekindled enthusiasm across the sector.”
Addressing ministers, agency heads, investors and international partners, Adewumi urged all stakeholders to seize the opportunity offered by the relaunch to build a more competitive and globally aligned maritime economy.
“Today, we are not merely reviving an event; we are rekindling a vision,” he said. “Together, we can build a vibrant, sustainable, and prosperous maritime future for Nigeria.”
The two-day expo is expected to produce actionable recommendations on ship acquisition financing, local content expansion, maritime security, and regulatory reforms—issues critical to reversing decades of decline in the nation’s shipping capability.
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