​MARCON Set To Host Conference On Sustainable Fishing In Lagos

BY FUNMI ALUKO

Lagos | September 28, 2026

​The Maritime Correspondents’ Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) is set to gather key players from across Nigeria’s fisheries and maritime sectors this week to chart a bold new trajectory for sustainable fishing, national food security, and coastal livelihoods.

​The MARCON Conference on Sustainable Fishing in Nigeria will take place on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at the Rockview Hotel in Apapa, Lagos. Designed around the central theme, “Sustainable Fishing in Nigeria: Pathways to Growth, Food Security and Coastal Livelihoods,” the forum aims to unpack high-impact, practical solutions to unlock the untapped potential of the nation’s fishing industry.

​The event is coming at a crucial juncture as Nigeria seeks to boost domestic fish production, generate sustainable jobs, and integrate its fisheries into the broader national blue-economy strategy.

​According to the organisers, the event will bring together leading executives, policymakers, researchers, and labor leaders across the entire fisheries value chain.
​
Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), will deliver the keynote on logistics infrastructure, titled “The Role of Port Infrastructure and Maritime Logistics in Advancing Sustainable Fishing in Nigeria.”

His presentation is expected to highlight how streamlined port operations and modern logistics can optimize fish distribution and drive sector growth.

​In the same vein, the President of the Nigerian Trawlers Owners Association will present a paper on “Revitalising Nigeria’s Industrial Fishing Sector for Food Security and Economic Growth,” evaluating strategies to scale up domestic industrial catches and curb reliance on fish imports.

This is even as the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms. Ruth Abisola Olusanya, will speak on “Building a Sustainable Fisheries Value Chain for Food Security and Coastal Livelihoods in Lagos State,” emphasizing local community benefits and supply chain efficiency.

​Also listed to speak at the event is
Dr. Dayo Mobereola, Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), who will make a presentation on “Protecting Nigeria’s Marine Resources: The Role of Maritime Regulation in Sustainable Fisheries Development”, covering resource protection, maritime safety, and anti-poaching measures.

​In addition, the organisers disclosed
Dr. Pius Akutah, Director-General of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), will explore commercial synergy in “Port Economic Regulation as a Catalyst for Sustainable Fishing and Blue-Economy Development in Nigeria.”

Also listed to speak is Mr. Akanbi Bamikole Williams, Director of the International Ocean Institute–Nigeria Centre (Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research), who will examine scientific foundations in “Marine Science and Sustainable Fisheries Development in Nigeria: Bridging Research, Policy and Practice.”

Dr. Paul Chukwudi Onuoha, Provost of the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology, is expected to make presentation on “Strategies for Building Capacity for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture in Nigeria.”

Complementing the human capital perspective, Comrade Francis Bunu Abi, President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), will speak on “Human Capital: Strengthening the Workforce for Sustainable Fishing in Nigeria.”

​The conference will be chaired by MARCON Patron and President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), High Chief Tochukwu Ezisi.

​Adaku Onyenaucheya, Secretary of the Conference Planning Committee, highlighted that the gathering is specifically structured to break down industry siloes and bring regulators, commercial operators, marine scientists, academic institutions, and labor leaders into a single, unified dialogue.

​According to Onyenaucheya, analyzing the entire ecosystem from harvest and port logistics to economic regulation and labour will yield actionable recommendations and foster long-term cross-sector collaboration to resolve the industry’s deep structural hurdles.

​MARCON reaffirmed that hosting this conference aligns with its core commitment to facilitating informed public discourse on pivotal maritime matters and championing the sustainable development of Nigeria’s blue economy.