Stakeholders in the maritime sector have come together to form a rallying point and a unifying force in other to further improve the growth of the maritime sector and maximize the potentials inherent in it through a forthcoming event which is tagged “The Nigerian Maritime Expo (NIMAREX)”
Already, a planning committee has been constituted with composition cutting across the various government agencies, stakeholders from the private sector as well as multinationals towards the inauguration of NIMAREX.
According to this committee, the inaugural edition of this event NIMAREX 2011 is slated to come up between the 1st to 3rd of March and the overall vision is to establish Nigeria as the maritime hub for Africa.
Among other plans which have been rolled out by the committee for the development of the maritime sector is to make NIMAREX serve as a channel in the maritime industry to penetrate the target market, expose better job opportunities in the sector, to be the flagship advocacy event that sets agenda for maritime issues in Nigeria as well as to reveal the potentials of indigenous companies in the maritime sector.
In a press conference in Lagos last week, the chairman of the planning committee, Mr. Greg Ogbeifun told journalists that NIMAREX is like an umbrella event and a unifying voice for all maritime stakeholders as well as the ideal platform for networking opportunities. He said that “the milestone accomplishment through government policies and by stakeholders have variously been acclaimed by local and international investors and stakeholders worldwide, it is the realization of this that stakeholders nationwide got together and decided that a Nigerian maritime expo should debut in the year 2011 tagged NIMAREX 2011”
Continuing, Greg explained that “It is a world event which we hope will happen annually and drawing exhibitors from all over the world, but from what has happened so far there is going to be a legal entity which is now being incorporated and will be responsible for the management of NIMAREX, when the event is over we intend to set up a functional secretariat with an executive theme running it”.
The event is also designed to be a forum to showcase an assemblage of maritime products, new technologies, service and expertise as well as the platform to unlock business opportunities in the country’s largely unexploited maritime sector.
Already, it is enjoying support from associations and agencies like the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Navy, Indigenous Ship owners Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Ship Chandlers, Shipping companies, international oil companies as well as licensed customs agents.
The planning committee also has the Director General of ISAN, Ms Funmi folorunso as its secretary while other advisers include Professor Bamidele Badejo, Chief Adebayo Sarumi, Mrs Mfon Usoro, Barrister Emeka Akabogu, Sir Peter Olorunfemi and Mrs. Ify Anazonwa Akerele.
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