Raheem Ibrahim
For Nigeria to effectively compete Internationally on Maritime Sector and attain leadership role in Africa, the Chairman of the 2026 Maritime Training Summit and Awards, Lucky Amuwero has called for greater investment in structured training and knowledge development.
Describing these points as critical to Nigeria’s economic and maritime growth, Amuwero, who is the President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), made the call on Friday at the Maritime Training Summit organised by the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) in Lagos.
The call aligns with the objective of the summit, which AMJON President, Vera Isokpo, said was designed to promote innovation, learning and human capacity development as Nigeria seeks to build a modern and globally competitive maritime sector.
Isokpo, in her welcome address, described the gathering as more than a training programme, saying it was a mission aimed at equipping stakeholders, particularly maritime journalists, with the knowledge needed to understand and report developments shaping the future of the industry.
Speaking at the event, Amuwero commended AMJON for placing training at the centre of its engagement with stakeholders, noting that Nigeria needed to pay greater attention to developing the knowledge and skills required to drive national development.
“This is my first time coming to a programme like this where we are talking about training. We lack training in this country,” Amuwero said.
According to him, there is a difference between training and capacity, stressing that meaningful capacity development cannot be achieved without deliberate and sustained training, declaring “If you don’t train, you can’t do anything”.
Amuwero described AMJON’s decision to organise the summit around innovation and maritime training as visionary, pledging his support for the association’s efforts to promote knowledge and professional development within the sector.
He said Nigeria must rethink its approach to development and place greater emphasis on knowledge, trade and productivity.
According to him, the advancement of leading economies is driven not only by financial resources but also by the depth of knowledge available to their institutions and citizens.
“If you are talking about America today, it is not because they have money. They have knowledge,” he said.
The NCMDLCA president said Nigeria must redesign its priorities, focus and development strategies if it hopes to achieve sustainable progress.
He warned that the country could not continue to operate without a clear focus on knowledge acquisition and skills development, adding that future generations deserved a better foundation for economic growth and national development.
“We must change the concept and become a nation that is serious. We must be focused,” he said.
Amuwero also stressed the importance of trade as a driver of economic development, noting that increased knowledge and training would help strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to take advantage of opportunities within the maritime and wider trade sectors.
He urged participants at the summit to pay close attention to the presentations and training sessions and apply the knowledge gained towards advancing their respective professions and contributing to national development.
The AMJON Maritime Training Summit brought together maritime stakeholders, regulators, security agencies, industry operators, professionals and journalists to discuss innovation and human capacity development.
The summit is themed “The Power of Innovation in a Future-Ready Maritime Training Agenda.”
