NIMENA Advocates for National Innovation in Maritime Sector

The Nigerian Institution of Marine Engineers and Naval Architects (NIMENA) has urged for a coordinated national innovation agenda to address technical skills gaps and enhance funding access in Nigeria’s maritime and energy sectors. This call was made following the launch of the Maritime and Energy Ecosystem Capability Model (ECM) assessment, developed with Plug and Play, which evaluated the sectors’ innovation capacity.

The report classified Nigeria’s maritime and energy innovation ecosystem as “Emerging,” with a maturity score of 43.75 out of 100. It highlighted challenges such as fragmented initiatives and weak industry collaboration.

NIMENA National Chairman, Engr. Dr Eferebo I. Sylvanus, emphasized the need for a common framework to unify development efforts. The ECM assessment identified three major challenges: equipping youth with industry-ready skills, limited connections between corporate demand and local technology capabilities, and inconsistent policy implementation.

Recommendations included prioritizing practical skills development and establishing a Maritime and Energy Innovation Hub to foster collaboration among startups and technology developers.