ABER Women’s Forum to Mark World Maritime Day With Focus on Women’s Leadership, Maritime Governance and Africa’s Blue Future

Mary Nnah

The Africa Blue Economy Women’s Forum, under the Africa Blue Economy Roundtable (ABER), will commemorate World Maritime Day 2026 with a continental conversation focused on translating maritime policies into meaningful action and strengthening women’s leadership across Africa’s maritime and blue economy sectors.

This is according to a press release made available to THISDAY by Medina Dauda Nadabo, ABER Director Communications & Public Relations.

According to the release, the Forum provides a platform for women across Africa to connect, contribute, lead and influence the continent’s maritime future.

The theme for the commemoration is “Correcting the Map, Powering Maritime Excellence: Women Driving Africa from Policy to Practice.”
It recognises that Africa’s maritime future is interconnected, spanning coastal and island nations as well as landlocked countries dependent on maritime corridors, ports, logistics and regional trade.

The release stated that the Forum will focus on strengthening women’s participation in policy formulation, governance, investment, innovation and implementation, moving beyond representation to meaningful leadership and impact across the maritime value chain.

It listed the speakers and their topics as: Amb. Nancy Karigithu as Keynote Speaker who will speak on “Correcting the Map, Powering Maritime Excellence: Women Driving Africa from Policy to Practice”; Dr. Christiana Chizoba Anyika, Secretary General, ABER, who will speak on “From Policy to Practice: Strengthening Women’s Leadership in Maritime Governance”; Dr. Doaa Elgebali who will speak on “Financing Africa’s Maritime Future – Women, Investment and Blue Entrepreneurship”; Dr. Karen Sumser Lupson who will speak on “Maritime Excellence in Action – Innovations, Partnerships and African Women in the Blue Economy”; and Barr. Sophie De Sylvie Djoufa who will speak on “Networking and Strategic Positioning of Women in the Blue Economy.”

The release added that the conference will be moderated by Chief Segun Garner, while Dr. Obiageri Appolonia Ezeabili is Chairman of the Planning Committee.

The Forum, according to the release, will examine practical pathways for women’s leadership, including access to opportunities, investment, professional development, technology, innovation, maritime entrepreneurship and decision-making across shipping, ports, transport logistics, marine tourism, fisheries, maritime security, renewable energy and the wider blue economy.

In what it described as a continental call to action, the ABER Women’s Forum emphasised that Africa’s maritime future cannot be designed, financed or implemented without African women.

The Forum invites women and men across Africa’s maritime, transport, energy, tourism, logistics, fisheries, environmental and blue economy communities to join the conversation: From policy to practice. From participation to leadership. From fragmented opportunities to connected possibilities. From Africa’s maritime potential to shared prosperity.