Nigeria is rapidly losing ground to regional peers, like Indonesia, in the race to dominate the maritime economy, Ms Ronke Kosoko, the CEO of the Maritime Innovations Hub, has warned.

Speaking at a media parley ahead of the Blue Economy Investment Summit, she emphasised that closing this gap requires urgent investment, innovation, and strategic execution.

“Talk is cheap; execution is expensive, and Nigeria cannot afford to waste another decade,” Kosoko said. Addressing stakeholders, including lawmakers, policymakers, investors, development partners, and the press, Kosoko stressed that the summit was about results, not speeches.

“This is not just an event; it is a movement,” she said, reflecting on her 15 years in the sector. She recounted her entry in 2010 as a young economics graduate, optimistic that Nigeria could generate 20 million maritime jobs.

Kosoko lauded the current administration for breaking the cycle of stagnation. Within 72 hours of taking office, the Honourable Minister of
Transport convened a full stakeholder engagement, free of entrenched politics.

“Ministers often deliver speeches and exit without understanding operational realities. This time, the minister moved from table to table, listening directly to industry players across the value chain,” she said.