Joyce Mmereole Okoli
The Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) is setting the stage for what promises to be one of the most high-powered gatherings in the maritime calendar MAMAL 2025 now slated for August 27, 2025, at the prestigious Four Points by Sheraton, Victoria Island, Lagos
This year’s event, themed “Addressing the Burden of War Risk Insurance on Nigerian Maritime Trade,” will dive deep into the economic and security implications of the Extra War Risk Insurance (EWRI) premiums plaguing vessels operating in Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea.
Expected at the frontlines of the conversation are Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, security giant Tantita Security Services, maritime titan Engr. Greg Ogbeifun, and the Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN).
Also headlining the event are some of Nigeria’s foremost maritime legal minds Mrs. Funke Agbor, SAN and Dr. Emeka Akabogu, SAN, the latter billed to deliver the keynote lecture. Former NIMASA boss Barr. Temisan Omatseye and top brass from the Nigerian Navy, NIMASA, and international maritime bodies are confirmed to speak.
Industry players from across the spectrum including terminal operators, diplomats, shipowners, insurers, and high-ranking stakeholders from NITOA, ASA, SOAN, NISA, and even fashion magnate Chief Mrs. Chinwe Ezenwa of Lelook Bags will converge for a robust dialogue on solutions.
According to MARAN President Godfrey Bivbere, the upcoming lecture comes at a make-or-break moment for Nigeria’s maritime sector.
“This is more than a conference. It’s a strategic intervention to tackle the war-risk perception that continues to strangle trade and investment in our waters,” Bivbere declared.
With over 500 participants expected, MAMAL 2025 is poised to offer hard-hitting conversations on Nigeria’s high-risk waters classification, the influence of global insurance bodies like Lloyd’s of London, and the urgent need for maritime sector reform and regional collaboration.