Edwin Devakumar V.G., group vice president, Oil & Gas and Fertiliser at Dangote Industries Limited, will deliver the keynote address at the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping’s (NCS) members’ evening on September 10 in Lagos.
The event, themed “A Public-Private Dialogue with CEOs: Unlocking Efficiency in the Marine and Blue Economy Value Chain,” will bring together stakeholders from the maritime, energy, logistics and business sectors to discuss efficiency, infrastructure and indigenous participation in Nigeria’s maritime economy, said Vivian Chimezie Azubuike, director-general of the NCS.
She said the event would provide a platform for regulators, chief executives and industry operators to discuss challenges affecting the competitiveness of Nigeria’s maritime sector.
“This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from one of the executives shaping the industrial project that is redefining Nigeria’s maritime landscape,” Azubuike said.
Devakumar’s selection as keynote speaker comes as the expansion of Dangote’s refinery operations is generating increased activity across shipping, marine services, logistics and port infrastructure.
The Dangote Refinery’s offshore marine terminal has recorded roughly 1,100 tanker calls since it began operations, according to the NCS. As production ramps towards full capacity, the increased activity is expected to create opportunities for Nigerian shipowners, marine operators, towage companies, terminal operators, logistics providers, ship agents, insurers and financiers.
The development raises the question of how Nigerian businesses can capture a larger share of the value generated by the country’s growing industrial and maritime activity.
For the NCS, the Members’ Evening is intended to provide a platform for stakeholders to address some of the bottlenecks affecting the marine and blue economy value chain.
Discussions are expected to focus on port and shipping efficiency, regulatory coordination, infrastructure investment and indigenous participation, with regulators, CEOs, investors and private-sector operators expected to attend.
The event will also provide businesses outside the traditional maritime sector, including banks, insurers, law firms, energy companies, logistics operators and technology providers, an opportunity to engage with the sector.
Nigeria’s coastline, ports and growing industrial base give it significant potential to expand its role in regional and international trade. However, inefficiencies in port operations, infrastructure gaps and limited local participation continue to affect the ability of domestic businesses to fully benefit from maritime activity.
The Dangote Group’s operations illustrate the growing connection between industrial production and maritime infrastructure. The refinery depends on marine and logistics infrastructure for the movement of crude oil and petroleum products, creating additional demand across the maritime value chain.
The Group recently raised $600 million through a private placement as part of a planned $1 billion underwriting programme ahead of a proposed initial public offering.
For Nigerian maritime operators, the expansion of large-scale industrial projects presents opportunities to provide shipping, marine services, logistics and other supporting services, while also raising questions around the capacity of indigenous businesses to compete for the resulting contracts and investments.
The NCS said the Members’ Evening would seek to move discussions around Nigeria’s blue economy from potential to practical outcomes by bringing public-sector decision makers and private-sector operators together.
The Chamber said the event is for CEOs, senior executives, maritime professionals, government officials, regulators, investors and other stakeholders to attend.
