Stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime sector are set to converge in Abuja on Tuesday, February 10, for the presentation of the “Most Media Friendly Maritime CEO” Award to the Immediate Past Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, in recognition of his strong partnership with the maritime media and commitment to transparent governance.
The ceremony, themed “The Making of Oyebamiji,” is expected to attract top government officials, regulators, captains of industry and media leaders, making it one of the most significant sectoral gatherings since the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, is billed to lead other dignitaries to the event, alongside the Chairman of the NIWA Board, Alhaji Mukhtari Shehu Shagari, and other senior government functionaries. Members of a Coalition of Maritime Journalists are also expected in large numbers.
Oyebamiji is being honoured for redefining regulator, media engagement during his tenure at NIWA, where he positioned journalists as strategic partners in sector development. His leadership style, stakeholders say, was marked by openness, accessibility and institutional respect for the press.
A key feature of his relationship with the media was his deliberate focus on journalists’ welfare and professionalism. Under his watch, NIWA improved the media work environment by providing operational tools, institutional support and access frameworks that enabled reporters to operate more effectively across the inland waterways space.
Beyond office engagements, Oyebamiji also supported regular media tours of NIWA operational areas, offering journalists first-hand exposure to water transport infrastructure, safety operations, channel management and regulatory activities. These tours helped deepen reporters’ understanding of inland waterways administration and strengthened fact-based maritime reporting.
Veteran maritime journalist and Chairman of the Coalition, Frank Meke, reflecting on Oyebamiji’s leadership style, said the former NIWA boss “does not see the media as an enemy, but as a partner in national development.” He added that Oyebamiji’s openness “rebuilt confidence between regulators and reporters, allowing professionalism and access to information to define maritime reporting.”
According to Meke, the atmosphere created under Oyebamiji encouraged journalists to function as stakeholders whose engagement supports safety, accountability and effective policy implementation on Nigeria’s inland waterways.
Industry observers describe the Abuja ceremony as an A-list maritime event with strategic importance, as it serves as one of the first major sectoral engagements under the new Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy. Stakeholders believe the gathering will help strengthen collaboration among government, operators, regulators and the maritime press.
With policymakers, industry leaders and media professionals converging, the presentation of the “Most Media Friendly Maritime CEO” Award is expected to go beyond celebration, signalling a growing alignment between transparent leadership and the future of Nigeria’s Marine and Blue Economy.
