IMION HOSTS EXECUTIVE COURSE ON SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE BLUE ECONOMY

The International Maritime Institute of Nigeria (IMION) has successfully concluded a 2-Day IMION Executive Course on Sustainability of the Blue Economy, held from 22 to 23 May 2025 at the Institute’s Auditorium in Apapa, Lagos.

As part of IMION’s continued commitment to advancing sustainable maritime governance and fostering a resilient ocean-based economy for Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea, a Course was convened for C-Suite executives, key security organizations and stakeholders in the maritime industry who are in position to develop and influence policy formulation or design implementation strategies..

In his remarks, the Director General of IMION, Rear Admiral Thaddeus Udofia (rtd), commended the participants for their dedication and encouraged them to return to their commands, institutions, and communities as ambassadors of sustainability.

“This course must not end here,” he emphasized. “Let it serve as a catalyst for deeper institutional reforms, strategic innovation, and actionable policies that safeguard our ocean economy for generations to come.”

The Director General also extended appreciation to the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla (Admiralty Medal), for his unwavering support to evolving a viral Blue Economy through enlightenment and knowledge based programs.

Course Highlights

The highlights of the course were the presentations made by distinguished scholars as follows:

• Rear Admiral Sunday Daniel Atakpa. Rear Admiral Sunday Daniel Atakpa the Director of Naval Operations, Naval Headquaters a distinguished scholar in Hydrography and Nigerian Navy experton Blue Economy, made a presentation on the topic, Sustainable Resource Management.
• Professor Freedom C Onuoha. Professor Freedom C Onuoha is an expert in Maritime Security. He delivered explicitly to the participants on Maritime Security Threats: Nature, Impact and Response.
• Rear Admiral Francis Dan Akpan. Rear Admiral Francis Dan Akpan was a former Defence Adviser to South Africa. He delivered a thought provoking lecture on Maritime Security.

The highlight of the course was a visit to Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) CENTENARY. NNS CENTENARY is a Nigerian navy offshore patrol vessel that has been involved in sustained patrol of the Gulf of Guinea. Onboard the vessel, participants observed firsthand operational structure and eco-conscious practices onboard a modern naval vessel.

The lecture and visit delivered provided insight on the maritime sector which resulted in a robust interactive session that encouraged knowledge exchange and open dialogue among stakeholders on critical sustainability challenges

Participants were drawn from the Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Customs Service, and various Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) within the maritime sector.

As Nigeria intensifies her efforts to harness the ocean resources in a sustainable and secure manner, IMION remains at the forefront, training minds, strengthening institutions, and shaping policy for maritime excellence.

This Executive Course reflects IMION’s strategic objective of providing a dynamic and solutions-driven platform for national and regional maritime actors to converge, collaborate, and craft forward-looking responses to the evolving challenges of the blue economy.