The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has unveiled a Blue Economy Accelerator Programme and National Innovation Hackathon aimed at attracting young innovators into Nigeria’s maritime and blue economy sector, fostering entrepreneurship and unlocking private-sector investment.
The NIMASA Blue Economy Accelerator Programme (NIMASA-BEAP) will provide a structured platform for young Nigerians and innovative enterprises to develop solutions to challenges and opportunities across the maritime and blue economy value chain, with the application portal scheduled to open on October 5, 2026.
Applications for the programme, which is open to young innovators aged 18 to 28, will close on November 13, while independent evaluation and due diligence will take place from November 16 to December 2.
In his welcome remarks at the unveiling on Wednesday, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, described the initiative as a national development imperative designed to position Nigeria to derive greater economic value from its maritime resources.
Mobereola maintained that the scale of Nigeria’s maritime economy offers significant opportunities for economic diversification, job creation, innovation and greater Nigerian participation across the maritime value chain.
“Nigeria’s maritime economy is a multi-billion naira frontier we have left largely untapped. We capture less than three percent of the value moving through our own waters. NIMASA-BEAP exists to correct that historic imbalance,” he stated.
He challenged young innovators and entrepreneurs to take the lead in developing solutions for the sector, urging them to view the maritime industry as a frontier for innovation, investment and national economic transformation.
Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, commended NIMASA for the initiative, describing it as a shift from the agency’s traditional regulatory role towards actively catalysing blue economy development.
Represented by the Director, Marine Conservation and Innovation, Mr. Shettima Hussein Shehu, the minister urged commercial banks, development finance institutions and maritime stakeholders to invest, mentor and partner with NIMASA to advance the sector.
The initiative also received support from industry and financial-sector stakeholders, with representatives of the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping, First Bank, Zenith Bank, Fidelity Bank, Wema Bank, Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN), Tamrose Limited, Petromarine Limited and Starzs Investment Limited pledging to partner with NIMASA on the programme.
The National Innovation Hackathon is scheduled for December 8 to 10, 2026, following which successful participants will proceed into a 12-week Accelerator Programme in the first quarter of 2027.
The programme will culminate in a National Demo Day in the second quarter of 2027, providing participating ventures with an opportunity to showcase their solutions and businesses to investors, industry stakeholders and other potential partners.
