IMION Urges FG To Implement Maritime Treaties, Reforms
The International Maritime Institute of Nigeria (IMION) has urged the Federal Government to move beyond ratifying international maritime treaties and ensure their effective implementation across the country’s ports, maritime domain and inland waterways.
The Director-General of IMION, Rear Admiral Thaddeus Udofia (rtd), said Nigeria’s progress in the maritime sector should be measured by the practical impact of its policies on port security, operational efficiency, digitalisation and regulatory compliance rather than the number of international agreements signed.
Udofia made the call while responding to the theme of the 2026 International Maritime Organisation (IMO) World Maritime Day, “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence.”
He stressed that translating policies and regulatory frameworks into practical action was essential to unlocking the economic benefits of the maritime industry.
“Transitioning from paper blueprints to practical execution is where maritime excellence is born,” he said.
The IMION chief explained that achieving meaningful progress in the sector required investment in specialised training and the development of technical expertise among frontline maritime workers.
He disclosed that the institute had established strategic learning programmes and technical knowledge-sharing networks in collaboration with international maritime institutes, academic institutions and global partners to promote the adoption of international best practices.
Udofia also revealed that IMION had developed a stakeholder-supported five-year port transformation plan aimed at improving port logistics, strengthening trade corridors, reducing transaction costs and eliminating bottlenecks across the supply chain.
According to him, the initiative is designed to improve the efficiency of maritime operations and strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness in international trade.
On fisheries development, Udofia said the institute had advocated scientific and regulatory reforms through a data-driven, five-pillar plan to revitalise the country’s fisheries sector.
He explained that the proposed interventions included scientific fish stock assessments, modern coastal lagoon cage-culture systems and satellite-based spatial planning to support sustainable fisheries management and improve national food security.
The IMION director-general further disclosed that the institute was conducting specialised workshops on maritime security and global trade, with emphasis on practical strategies to address emerging threats and protect critical trade infrastructure across the Gulf of Guinea.
He noted that strengthening intelligence capabilities and maritime security expertise remained essential to safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime assets and ensuring the uninterrupted movement of goods through regional trade routes.
On human capacity development, Udofia said IMION had aligned its professional training courses with the latest revisions to the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) Convention.
He said the move was intended to prepare Nigerian seafarers for emerging industry demands, including automation, green shipping technologies and the transition towards a decarbonised maritime sector.
Udofia reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to advancing evidence-based research, improving access to maritime data and strengthening technical capacity to ensure that government policies translated into measurable results.
He added that sustained collaboration among government agencies, industry stakeholders, training institutions and international partners would be crucial to achieving lasting reforms.
The IMION boss expressed confidence that effective implementation of maritime policies, combined with improved infrastructure, professional training and stronger security measures, would help position Nigeria as a leading maritime hub in the Gulf of Guinea.
