By Our Reporter
The celebration of the annual event of women’s Day on March 8 according to the Vatican News, comes as a reminder that every woman is a gift ‘’ to be treasured and empowered’’. The United Nations, UN, under the close watch of Antonio Gutteres, had put the theme for this year’s International Women Day celebration as a call for action that can unlock equal rights , power and opportunities for all. Central to this vision is empowering ‘’the next generation young women and adolescent girls -as analysts for change’’.
This year, 2025, also marks the thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform Action, for Women’s and girl’s rights. Indeed, since 1995, the call for gender equality in the society has increased and many voices from various parts of the world have joined this call.
There is no area of the world economy that women involvement have been pronounced in the recent time than in the Maritime industry . At present there are women Seafarers running operations in various categories of vessels, ocean going vessels, oil and gas tankers, barges and tug-boats as well as operating high -tech cranes at ports terminals in different parts of the world, including Nigeria competing effectively with their men folks.
Many believes that women have effectively broken the jinx of male dominance in all areas of operations both in administration of the ports management and as Captains of industries in the Nigerian’s maritime industry.
Given the pronounced persistence of women in the nation’s maritime sector, both at the Management level at the National Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Nigerian Shippers Council , NSC, and Nigerian Inland Water Ways Authority, NIWA, and even owning Shipping Companies and terminals at the country’s seaports may have encouraged Dayo Mobereola, Director General , NIMASA, and other captains of the industry to celebrate women in maritime in Nigeria.
The NIMASA, Chief Executive Officer, CEO, who had commended the contributions of the women to the development of Nigeria’s maritime sector, was enthused at the several women maritime Associations which had participated at this year’s the event with the theme Safe Horizons: Women Shaping the Future of Maritime Safety. Among the women maritime Associations that were said to have participated fully in the event were Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association, WISTA, Women in Maritime, WIMA, Women in Logistics and Transport, WILAT, and Women in Maritime West and Central Africa, WIMOWCA, among others.
The International Maritime Organization, IMO, a maritime agency of the UN, under the Leadership of Arsenio Dominguez, may have taken a cue from the global body to establish the International Women Day, March 8, in the global maritime sector ‘’to celebrate and honour the invaluable contributions and resilience of women across various sectors of the maritime industry’’.
Mobereola, the NIMASA CEO, who was said to have been represented at the one -day event, organized by various women groups in the nation’s maritime sector in Lagos, the nation’s Commercial nerve centre, by Jibri Abba, Executive Director, Labour and Cabotage Services, had appreciated ‘’the contributions of the women to the development of the Nigeran maritime industry’’.
‘’let me seize this opportunity to recognize and applaud the incredible achievements of women in the nation’s maritime industry’’., he had remarked in his speech. The NIMASA helmsman, who could not hide his feelings had said that ‘’from Seafarers and ship Captains to engineers and port operations, as well as maritime professionals and trail blazers, women have played pivotal in shaping the nation’s maritime industry and driven innovation and progress’’.
He may have gladdened the heart of women in maritime operators when he stated that ‘’their dedication, resilience and expertise have not only enriched the nation’s maritime industry but also inspire a future generation of women to pursue careers in maritime’’.
Notwithstanding that the speech delivered at the venue of the International Women’s Day Celebration by women in maritime in Lagos, on March 8, 2025, by Abba, Executive Director, Maritime and Cabotage Services, who had represented him touched on vital areas that should make the women in maritime operators happy, he did not stop there.
Edwad Osagie, an Assistant Director and Head of the agency’s Public Relations Unit, had alluded to his remarks on his official X handle, where he had re-echoed ‘’the invaluable contributions of women in the nation’s maritime industry and beyond’’, noting that together ‘’we must accelerate towards a more sustainable , diverse and equitable future for all to shape the future of the sector that would drive growth , innovation and exclusivity’’.
Recall that at the International Women’s Day celebration by Women in the nation’s maritime industry in Lagos, Mrs. Olumide Odusanya, NIMASA, Director of Financial Services had appreciated the Leadership of IMO, for creating an inclusive and supportive environment to recognize women in maritime in line with’’ the provisions of the UN, Sustainable Goal 5, which is Gender Equality’’.
She had said that women effective participation in the nation’s maritime industry and beyond the shores of the country have closed the gender gap, which the SDG Goal 5- Gender Equality which had been the internal quest of the women folks over the years, stating that one significant improvement has been made.
She may not have been satisfied with the progress that had been by the women folks so far in the nation’s maritime industry but still believes that they have a long way to go towards a achieving relative parity. She had stopped short at saying that she is looking forward to a day when a Nigerian woman will be appointed to head the nation’s maritime industries that would give them room to take decisions concerning the sector.
Although , no woman had attended such height in the nation’s maritime sector, at present, Olarewanju Shittu, former President Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, believes that all hopes are not lost as he had praised Princess Vicky Haastrup, Chairman, ENL Consortium, operators of terminals C and D, at the Lagos Port Complex , and who incidentally was also the Chairman of Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria, STOAN, for her contributions to the country’s maritime industry development.
For the former ANLCA, president to have singled out Mrs. Haastrup, Chairman, ENL Consortium, over her contributions to the growth of the nation’s maritime confirms what Mobereola, the NIMASA boss, had said that Women had made appreciable impact to the growth of the Nigerian’s maritime industry as obtained in other parts of the world.
There are several of such other Mrs. Haastrups in the nation’s maritime industry like Wumi Eniola Jegede, Aisha Ali-Ibrahim , Margret Orakwusi and several others who are role models, who are still making invaluable contributions in the nation’s maritime sector in their own rights.
