World Maritime Day 2026: Africa’s maritime future must be deliberately built – Captain Olubowale

As Nigeria and Africa joined the rest of the world to mark World Maritime Day on Thursday, September 24, 2026, decision-makers in government and industry in Africa have been charged to treat maritime development not as a sectoral concern, but as a strategic economic development platform for the continent.

The decision-makers were also charged to move beyond celebrating maritime potential of the continent and begin taking deliberate decisions that convert that potential into economic power, strategic capacity and continental competitiveness.

Captain Ladi Olubowale, former President of African Shipowners Association (ASA) Nigeria, gave this charge while speaking in Lagos on the global event, pointing out what Nigeria and other African countries should do to develop their maritime potential.

Captain Ladi Olubowale, who is the Group Managing Director/CEO of Seamate Maritime Integrated Services Limited, noted that the maritime sector is not simply about ships and ports. “It sits at the heart of trade, energy security, food security, industrialisation, national competitiveness, regional integration and employment creation.

“For Africa, maritime development must therefore become a boardroom issue, a cabinet-level issue, an investment issue and a continental development priority. We cannot continue to speak about AfCFTA, industrial growth and regional trade without addressing the maritime infrastructure required to move African goods efficiently across African markets.

“We cannot continue to export commodities, import finished goods and expand refinery, mining, agriculture and manufacturing capacity while depending overwhelmingly on external shipping capacity to connect our economies.

“The strategic question before Africa is clear: Who will carry Africa’s trade? Who will own the vessels? Who will finance the fleets? Who will train the seafarers? Who will control the logistics platforms? And how much of the value created by African trade will remain in Africa?”

On who will make these questions a reality, Olubowale said “these are no longer questions for the maritime industry alone.They require the attention of Heads of Government, Ministers, regulators, central banks, development finance institutions, commercial banks, sovereign investors, major cargo owners, ports, insurers and the African private sector.

“Africa needs a coordinated maritime development architecture built around five priorities: Fleet development and ownership.Cargo access, Maritime finance. Regional integration. Human-capital development. Our cadets, seafarers, marine engineers, pilots and maritime professionals must have access to sea-time, advanced training and clear career pathways, to have the local and regional skill-set.

‘This is the leadership model Africa now needs: Private-sector-led. Regulator-enabled. Finance-supported. Cargo-backed. Development-focused. Our ambition should not simply be to participate in global shipping.

“It should be to build an African maritime ecosystem capable of supporting the continent’s trade, energy transition, industrialisation and economic sovereignty.”

To achieve this, he submitted that it requires leadership, coordination, capital and execution.

“What is required now is leadership, coordination, capital and execution. On this World Maritime Day, I call on African decision-makers across government and industry to treat maritime development not as a sectoral concern, but as a strategic economic development platform for the continent,” said he.