Nigeria must deliberately position women as architects, investors, operators, policymakers and custodians of its emerging blue economy, a maritime and coastal tourism advocate, Dr Chizoba Anyika, has said.

Anyika made the call while speaking at the Lagos International Maritime Week 2026 on the theme, “From Policy to Practice – Role of Women in Eco-Tourism.”

She urged stakeholders to move beyond viewing women as beneficiaries of tourism development and instead recognise their capacity to drive the sector through enterprise, investment, policymaking and conservation.

According to her, Nigeria’s maritime and tourism future lies in its lagoons, beaches, mangroves, wetlands, islands, waterways, fishing communities and rich coastal cultures, but much of the economic potential of these assets remains underdeveloped.

She said eco-tourism should not be limited to hotels and resorts, but should connect policy with people, infrastructure with enterprise, and natural resources with sustainable economic value.

Anyika described eco-tourism as the combination of tourism, conservation, community and economic value, stressing that the sector must protect natural and cultural resources while creating livelihoods for host communities.

She noted that many women in coastal communities possess indigenous knowledge, culinary skills, cultural heritage, craft expertise and entrepreneurial abilities, but often operate informally because of limited access to finance, infrastructure, training, technology and markets.

She said the challenge was therefore not a shortage of natural resources, but the absence of an integrated ecosystem capable of turning those resources into sustainable economic opportunities.

From policy to impact

Anyika outlined the pathway from policy to measurable development as: Policy → Institutions → Investment → Infrastructure → People → Enterprise → Impact.

She said policies must be backed by strong institutions capable of facilitating investment and delivering infrastructure, while skilled and empowered people must be equipped to build sustainable enterprises.
She argued that women’s participation in eco-tourism should not be treated as a social intervention but as an economic strategy.

According to her, a properly developed coastal tourism destination could create opportunities for women in hospitality, catering, transportation, tour operations, cultural entertainment, handicrafts, conservation, photography, digital marketing, event management and destination services.

She said the benefits would extend beyond individual incomes, as increased earnings and business growth could strengthen families and stimulate local economies.

Beyond hotels

Anyika also called for a broader approach to tourism development, saying destinations require more than hotels and resorts.

She identified safe and accessible roads and waterways, functional jetties, reliable transportation, waste management, security, environmental protection, trained guides, recreational facilities, digital connectivity, signage and effective destination marketing as essential components of a functional tourism ecosystem.

She cited the Lagos Lagoon and coastal destinations such as Tarkwa Bay and Ilashe as examples of areas that could become engines of tourism, enterprise and employment if supported by appropriate planning, infrastructure, environmental safeguards and community participation.

She said similar opportunities existed across Nigeria’s littoral states.

“Our coastal wealth should not remain beautiful scenery viewed from a distance. It should become productive economic infrastructure without destroying the ecosystems that make it valuable,” she said.
Communities must benefit

Anyika stressed that host communities must participate in and benefit from tourism development rather than being displaced by it.

She said tourism activities should create opportunities for local boat operators, food entrepreneurs, craft producers, tour guides, cultural performers, photographers, transport providers and young entrepreneurs.
She added that such an approach would make eco-tourism a tool for poverty reduction, youth employment, women’s empowerment and local economic development.

She also warned that economic development could not be separated from environmental protection.
According to her, pollution, indiscriminate development, poor waste management and ecosystem degradation could undermine the very resources on which the tourism economy depends.

“If mangroves disappear, wetlands are destroyed, waterways become polluted and beaches become unsafe, the tourism economy itself is placed at risk,” she said.

She therefore called for a sustainable approach to the development of Nigeria’s eco-tourism sector.

Call for action

Anyika urged the Federal and state governments to integrate women into tourism and blue-economy planning, while calling on financial institutions and development partners to establish accessible financing mechanisms for women-led tourism enterprises.

She also urged training institutions to develop skills relevant to modern eco-tourism, communities to participate as partners and private investors to view coastal tourism as a viable economic sector.

She stressed the need for women to have greater representation in decision-making on the blue economy.

“The future woman in Nigeria’s coastal economy should not only be the person selling food beside a tourist destination. She should also be the chief executive of a tourism company, the owner of a boat fleet, the destination manager, the conservation entrepreneur, the investor and the policymaker,” she said.

Anyika said Nigeria’s coastline should be regarded not merely as a geographical boundary but as an economic frontier capable of supporting inclusive and sustainable growth.

She said the opportunity was to build a blue economy where conservation and commerce coexist, communities prosper, young people find opportunities and women occupy central positions in value creation.

She urged stakeholders to move from recognising women’s potential to deliberately investing in it.

“From policy to practice. From potential to productivity. From exclusion to inclusion. From blue wealth to shared prosperity,” she said.