Nigeria’s maritime industry is facing growing pressure to bridge its skills gap and overhaul its training system as technological advances and changing global shipping practices reshape the sector.

The challenge will take centre stage at the 2026 Maritime Training Summit and Awards of the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON), where regulators, industry operators, policymakers and maritime experts are expected to examine the reforms required to build a future-ready workforce.

The summit, organised by AMJON in collaboration with NLNG Shipping and Marine Services Limited (NSML), is scheduled to hold at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, on Friday, Sept 4, 2026 by 10:00 a.m.

With the theme, “The Power of Innovation in a Future-Ready Maritime Training Agenda,” the summit is expected to focus on the widening gap between rapid technological developments in the global maritime industry and the capacity of Nigeria’s workforce to adapt to the changing demands.

According to AMJON, NSML, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and other major maritime organisations will deliver papers at the event, while industry experts and policymakers are expected to contribute to discussions on the future of maritime training in Nigeria.

The Association said the discussions would examine emerging trends, challenges and opportunities in maritime training, with particular attention to innovation, technology and human-capital development.

The issue has become increasingly important as digital technologies continue to transform shipping, port operations, logistics and other aspects of the maritime value chain, creating new demands for specialised skills and continuous professional development.

AMJON President, Vera Osokpo, said Nigeria’s ability to derive sustainable economic value from its maritime resources would depend largely on the quality and relevance of the human capital available to drive the sector.

She stressed that innovation-driven capacity development was essential to positioning Nigeria to take advantage of opportunities in the blue economy and compete effectively in the global maritime industry.

Osokpo said the summit was designed to stimulate practical discussions on how maritime training could be repositioned to respond to technological developments and the changing requirements of the industry.

She added that the event would also provide maritime journalists with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of emerging technologies, regulatory developments and operational reforms affecting the sector.

According to her, improving the capacity of specialised journalists would contribute to more informed reporting and a better understanding of the maritime industry’s contribution to the Nigerian economy.

Beyond training, she said the summit is expected to interrogate some of the broader challenges affecting the competitiveness of Nigeria’s maritime sector, including technology adoption, human-capital development, regulatory developments and the need to align training with emerging industry requirements.

She expressed expressed optimism that the deliberations would produce practical recommendations for strengthening Nigeria’s maritime training framework and developing a workforce capable of responding to the demands of a rapidly changing global maritime industry.

Osokpo said this would be particularly important as Nigeria seeks to maximise the economic opportunities presented by the blue economy and strengthen the contribution of the maritime sector to national development.

She added that the he summit will also feature an awards ceremony during which AMJON will recognise organisations, personalities and individuals for their contributions to the development of Nigeria’s maritime industry.

Among the organisations listed for recognition are NSML, NPA, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) and other deserving stakeholders.

AMJON said the honourees were selected based on established standards of excellence and rigorous evaluation criteria, with emphasis on their contributions, achievements and dedication to the development of the maritime industry and the nation.