Nigeria Launches National Dialogue on Maritime Decarbonisation through National Action Plan Workshop
The IMO GreenVoyage2050 Programme, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Nigeria, and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), convened a virtual workshop on National Action Plans (NAPs) for maritime decarbonisation last week.
The workshop brought together over 40 participants from a diverse range of national stakeholders, including government ministries and agencies, port authorities, industry representatives and academia. The discussions focused on practical next steps for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships and ports, while exploring how Nigeria can strategically position itself to benefit from the global transition to greener maritime transport.
Participants were introduced to the purpose, process and benefits of developing a National Action Plan, and how a NAP can support Nigeria in aligning its maritime sector with the IMO 2023 GHG Strategy, while identifying priority policy, technical and capacity-building actions tailored to national circumstances.
Dr. Oma Ofodile, Director, Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, underscored the strategic importance of the NAP process for the country, noting that:
“Developing a National Action Plan is an important step for Nigeria to take stock of its maritime emissions, identify realistic and impactful solutions, and ensure that our shipping and port sectors are well prepared for the global energy transition. It provides a framework to bring together government, industry and other stakeholders to identify priority actions that are practical, nationally appropriate and aligned with IMO’s GHG Strategy, while also safeguarding Nigeria’s competitiveness and long-term maritime growth.”
The workshop also highlighted Nigeria’s unique maritime profile, including its extensive coastline, major ports, high levels of offshore and coastal shipping activity, and its role as a regional maritime hub in West Africa.
Ms. Astrid Dispert, Programme Manager of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Programme, emphasized the tailored nature of the support being provided:
“Nigeria’s maritime sector has its own distinct characteristics, challenges and opportunities. Through GreenVoyage2050, we are supporting Nigeria to develop a National Action Plan that is firmly grounded in national data, institutions and priorities. This tailored approach ensures that the NAP is not only ambitious, but also practical, implementable, and capable of unlocking concrete actions and investment.”
As a next step, stakeholders will work together to define the requirements for a national baseline assessment, which will form the analytical foundation of Nigeria’s National Action Plan for maritime decarbonisation.
The GreenVoyage2050 Programme will continue to support Nigeria in advancing this process through technical assistance, stakeholder engagement and capacity building, as the country moves towards a low-carbon and resilient maritime future.
GreenVoyage2050 Programme
GreenVoyage2050 is a major technical cooperation programme initiated by the International Maritime Organization to assist developing countries in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping, in line with the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy.
Now in its second phase (2024–2030), GreenVoyage2050 is supporting partner countries in developing National Action Plans (NAPs) -including Bangladesh, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mexico and Nigeria -as well as implementing pilot projects in Türkiye, India, Indonesia and Viet Nam to test solutions for reducing GHG emissions from ships.
Leveraging funding from the Governments of Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Norway, the GreenVoyage2050 Programme continues to expand, with new countries added each year.
