Akabogu to Deliver Keynote Address at MAMAL 2025
Nifemi Coker
Distinguished maritime lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Emeka Akabogu, will on August 27th, deliver the keynote address at the 2025 edition of the MARAN Annual Maritime Lecture (MAMAL), organised by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN).
The event is also expected to host the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, as well as other key policy makers across Nigeria’s maritime industry.
The high-profile event, which serves as a critical platform for maritime discourse, formerly billed for August 28, will now hold on August 27, 2025, at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
This year’s edition, themed “Addressing the Burden of War Risk Insurance on Nigerian Maritime Trade,” is expected to draw over 500 participants, including shipowners, terminal operators, insurers, legal professionals, diplomats, and senior officials from NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, and international maritime organisations.
The event will critically examine the continued imposition of Extra War Risk Insurance (EWRI) premiums on vessels calling at Nigerian ports and operating within the Gulf of Guinea with key focus on the security and economic consequences of Nigeria’s classification as a high-risk zone by global insurers.
Dr. Akabogu’s keynote is expected to set the tone for expert discussions on mitigating the effects of these war risk premiums and redefining Nigeria’s security narrative on the global maritime stage.
Other confirmed speakers include former NIMASA Director-General, Barr. Temisan Omatseye, and representatives from key regulatory and security institutions.
Also expected to attend are Tantita Security Services; Engr. Greg Ogbeifun; Chief Mrs. Chinwe Ezenwa, CEO of Lelook Bags; and frontline maritime lawyers including Mrs. Funke Agbor SAN.
Stakeholder associations such as the Nigerian Trawler Owners Association (NITOA), African Shipowners Association (ASA), Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN), and the Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA) are also slated to participate.
MARAN President, Godfrey Bivbere, noted that MAMAL 2025 will not only interrogate the issues fueling the continued EWRI surcharge but also engage classification societies like Lloyd’s of London and examine the role of local maritime security operators in reshaping Nigeria’s international risk profile.
He emphasised that the summit presents an opportunity for unified industry advocacy towards safer waters and more equitable global trade practices affecting Nigeria’s maritime economy.
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