{"id":10808,"date":"2026-03-12T10:48:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T10:48:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/?p=10808"},"modified":"2026-03-12T10:48:32","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T10:48:32","slug":"digital-skills-could-open-more-doors-for-women-in-maritime-nimasa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/2026\/03\/12\/digital-skills-could-open-more-doors-for-women-in-maritime-nimasa\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital Skills Could Open More Doors for Women in Maritime \u2014 NIMASA"},"content":{"rendered":"

The <\/span>maritime <\/span>industry <\/span>is <\/span>rapidly <\/span>evolving <\/span>as <\/span>digital <\/span>technologies <\/span>reshape <\/span>how <\/span>ships <\/span>operate, <\/span>how <\/span>ports <\/span>function, <\/span>and <\/span>how <\/span>maritime <\/span>authorities <\/span>manage <\/span>trade <\/span>and <\/span>security. <\/span>In <\/span>Nigeria <\/span>and <\/span>across <\/span>West <\/span>Africa, <\/span>this <\/span>digital <\/span>shift <\/span>is <\/span>also <\/span>creating <\/span>new <\/span>opportunities <\/span>for <\/span>women <\/span>to <\/span>participate <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>sector.<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency<\/span><\/span> (<\/span>NIMASA) <\/span>is <\/span>pushing <\/span>for <\/span>stronger <\/span>digital <\/span>skills <\/span>development <\/span>to <\/span>help <\/span>more <\/span>women <\/span>enter <\/span>and <\/span>thrive <\/span>in <\/span>maritime <\/span>careers. <\/span>The <\/span>agency <\/span>believes <\/span>that <\/span>technology <\/span>could <\/span>play <\/span>a <\/span>key <\/span>role <\/span>in <\/span>breaking <\/span>long-<\/span>standing <\/span>barriers <\/span>that <\/span>have <\/span>limited <\/span>women\u2019s <\/span>participation <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>industry. <\/span><\/p>\n

Why <\/span>digital <\/span>skills <\/span>matter <\/span>in <\/span>maritime\"\" \"\"<\/span><\/h3>\n

Speaking <\/span>at <\/span>a <\/span>regional <\/span>symposium <\/span>in <\/span>Lagos, <\/span>the <\/span>Director-<\/span>General <\/span>of <\/span>NIMASA, <\/span>Dayo Mobereola<\/span><\/span>, <\/span>highlighted <\/span>the <\/span>growing <\/span>importance <\/span>of <\/span>digital <\/span>transformation <\/span>in <\/span>maritime <\/span>operations. <\/span>The <\/span>event <\/span>focused <\/span>on <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Digitalisation <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>Empowerment <\/span>of <\/span>Women <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>Maritime <\/span>Sector <\/span>of <\/span>West <\/span>Africa: <\/span>Opportunities, <\/span>Challenges <\/span>and <\/span>Pathways.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

According <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>agency, <\/span>digital <\/span>technologies <\/span>are <\/span>changing <\/span>the <\/span>maritime <\/span>landscape. <\/span>Automation, <\/span>data <\/span>systems, <\/span>smart <\/span>logistics, <\/span>and <\/span>digital <\/span>platforms <\/span>are <\/span>becoming <\/span>central <\/span>to <\/span>how <\/span>the <\/span>industry <\/span>works.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mobereola <\/span>explained <\/span>that <\/span>digitalisation <\/span>can <\/span>help <\/span>reduce <\/span>the <\/span>gender <\/span>gap <\/span>in <\/span>maritime <\/span>by <\/span>shifting <\/span>the <\/span>focus <\/span>from <\/span>physical <\/span>strength <\/span>to <\/span>technical <\/span>knowledge, <\/span>innovation, <\/span>and <\/span>digital <\/span>expertise<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span><\/p>\n

In <\/span>simple <\/span>terms, <\/span>the <\/span>industry <\/span>is <\/span>moving <\/span>from <\/span>manual <\/span>operations <\/span>to <\/span>knowledge-<\/span>driven <\/span>systems\u2014<\/span>making <\/span>it <\/span>easier <\/span>for <\/span>more <\/span>women <\/span>to <\/span>participate.<\/span><\/p>\n

One <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>strongest <\/span>points <\/span>raised <\/span>during <\/span>the <\/span>symposium <\/span>was <\/span>that <\/span>digital <\/span>tools <\/span>can <\/span>make <\/span>training <\/span>and <\/span>professional <\/span>development <\/span>more <\/span>accessible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Online <\/span>learning <\/span>platforms, <\/span>digital <\/span>training <\/span>modules, <\/span>and <\/span>remote <\/span>education <\/span>programs <\/span>allow <\/span>aspiring <\/span>maritime <\/span>professionals <\/span>to <\/span>build <\/span>skills <\/span>from <\/span>anywhere. <\/span>This <\/span>means <\/span>that <\/span>a <\/span>young <\/span>woman <\/span>living <\/span>in <\/span>a <\/span>rural <\/span>community <\/span>could <\/span>access <\/span>the <\/span>same <\/span>maritime <\/span>training <\/span>resources <\/span>as <\/span>someone <\/span>in <\/span>a <\/span>major <\/span>city. <\/span><\/p>\n

This <\/span>shift <\/span>could <\/span>significantly <\/span>expand <\/span>the <\/span>talent <\/span>pool <\/span>across <\/span>the <\/span>region <\/span>and <\/span>encourage <\/span>more <\/span>women <\/span>to <\/span>explore <\/span>careers <\/span>in <\/span>maritime <\/span>administration, <\/span>logistics, <\/span>safety <\/span>regulation, <\/span>and <\/span>maritime <\/span>technology.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Historically, <\/span>women <\/span>have <\/span>been <\/span>underrepresented <\/span>in <\/span>maritime <\/span>careers <\/span>due <\/span>to <\/span>cultural, <\/span>institutional, <\/span>and <\/span>structural <\/span>barriers. <\/span>However, <\/span>industry <\/span>stakeholders <\/span>say <\/span>their <\/span>participation <\/span>is <\/span>critical <\/span>to <\/span>improving <\/span>maritime <\/span>governance <\/span>and <\/span>innovation.<\/span><\/p>\n

At <\/span>the <\/span>symposium, <\/span>experts <\/span>stressed <\/span>that <\/span>women <\/span>bring <\/span>diverse <\/span>perspectives <\/span>and <\/span>solutions <\/span>that <\/span>can <\/span>strengthen <\/span>decision-<\/span>making <\/span>and <\/span>policy <\/span>development <\/span>within <\/span>the <\/span>sector. <\/span><\/p>\n

With <\/span>the <\/span>maritime <\/span>industry <\/span>undergoing <\/span>a <\/span>global <\/span>digital <\/span>transformation, <\/span>stakeholders <\/span>believe <\/span>this <\/span>is <\/span>the <\/span>right <\/span>moment <\/span>to <\/span>rethink <\/span>how <\/span>the <\/span>workforce <\/span>is <\/span>structured.<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>event <\/span>was <\/span>organised <\/span>by <\/span>NIMASA <\/span>in <\/span>collaboration <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre<\/span><\/span> in <\/span>Ghana <\/span>and <\/span>brought <\/span>together <\/span>maritime <\/span>professionals, <\/span>government <\/span>officials, <\/span>academics, <\/span>and <\/span>women\u2019s <\/span>groups <\/span>from <\/span>across <\/span>West <\/span>Africa. <\/span><\/p>\n

Support <\/span>also <\/span>came <\/span>from <\/span>international <\/span>partners, <\/span>including <\/span>the <\/span>Danish <\/span>Ministry <\/span>of <\/span>Foreign <\/span>Affairs <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>Inter-<\/span>Regional <\/span>Coordination <\/span>Centre <\/span>for <\/span>Maritime <\/span>Safety <\/span>and <\/span>Security <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>Gulf <\/span>of <\/span>Guinea.<\/span><\/p>\n

Participants <\/span>discussed <\/span>several <\/span>key <\/span>issues, <\/span>including:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • \n

    Digital <\/span>innovation <\/span>in <\/span>maritime <\/span>governance<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Building <\/span>digital <\/span>maritime <\/span>skills <\/span>for <\/span>women<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Gender <\/span>inclusion <\/span>in <\/span>maritime <\/span>security <\/span>operations<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Policies <\/span>that <\/span>promote <\/span>equality <\/span>across <\/span>the <\/span>maritime <\/span>sector<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The <\/span>discussions <\/span>aimed <\/span>to <\/span>strengthen <\/span>regional <\/span>cooperation <\/span>and <\/span>encourage <\/span>more <\/span>inclusive <\/span>growth <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>maritime <\/span>industry.<\/span><\/p>\n

    As <\/span>the <\/span>maritime <\/span>sector <\/span>becomes <\/span>more <\/span>digital, <\/span>the <\/span>skills <\/span>needed <\/span>to <\/span>succeed <\/span>are <\/span>also <\/span>changing. <\/span>Technical <\/span>expertise, <\/span>data <\/span>management, <\/span>cybersecurity, <\/span>and <\/span>digital <\/span>logistics <\/span>are <\/span>becoming <\/span>just <\/span>as <\/span>important <\/span>as <\/span>traditional <\/span>maritime <\/span>skills.<\/span><\/p>\n

    For <\/span>Nigeria <\/span>and <\/span>West <\/span>Africa, <\/span>promoting <\/span>digital <\/span>education <\/span>and <\/span>inclusive <\/span>policies <\/span>could <\/span>help <\/span>ensure <\/span>that <\/span>women <\/span>are <\/span>not <\/span>left <\/span>behind <\/span>in <\/span>this <\/span>transformation.<\/span><\/p>\n

    If <\/span>the <\/span>push <\/span>for <\/span>digital <\/span>capacity <\/span>building <\/span>continues, <\/span>the <\/span>maritime <\/span>industry <\/span>could <\/span>become <\/span>not <\/span>only <\/span>more <\/span>technologically <\/span>advanced <\/span>but <\/span>also <\/span>more <\/span>inclusive.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The maritime industry is rapidly evolving as digital technologies reshape how ships operate, how ports function, and how maritime authorities manage trade and security. In Nigeria and across West Africa, this digital shift is...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10810,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t