At IMO Conference, Olotu Urges African Nations To Fully Harness Maritime Potentials
By Sulaimon Salau
Maritime expert and Former Port Manager of Apapa Port Complex, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Olotu has stressed the need for Nigeria and other maritime nations in Africa to fully harness the potentials in the continent.
Olotu, who retired at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), as AGM Tariff & Billing, made this call as an IMO-sponsored panelist at the “Maritime Security 2024: Innovations and Partnerships for the Future”.
The Conference which was hosted by the Government of Cabo Verde, and funded by the German Government in collaboration with IMO, UNITAR, and Atlantic Centre, had other Maritime Experts from Africa, Europe, UK, and the USA who spoke and discussed extensively on protecting the oceans, addressing IUUs and other aspects of Blue Economy and shipping generally.
She said the full potentials are opportunities that can snowball the African continent to an enviable status in trade opportunities, the technology advancement and thriving economy.
“In fact, we are in the midst of water, but unfortunately their is soap in our eyes and we can’t use that water to get soap off our eyes,” she said.
