Momentum is building for the 10th edition of the Taiwo Afolabi Annual Maritime Conference (TAAM), as the Maritime Forum, University of Lagos, in partnership with SIFAX Group, prepares to host what has become West Africa’s largest student-led maritime conference.
The landmark event, scheduled for July 20 to 21, 2026, is expected to attract more than 2,000 participants from government, academia, the maritime industry, corporate organisations and the media.
Over the past decade, SIFAX Group has remained the conference’s foremost supporter, helping to transform TAAM into a leading platform for youth engagement, industry collaboration and maritime capacity development.
This year’s edition, themed “Ten Tides of Impact: Raising a Generation to Position Nigeria as Africa’s Blue Giant”, celebrates a decade of advancing maritime education, policy dialogue and youth leadership.
The conference will feature keynote presentations, panel discussions and policy conversations involving prominent stakeholders, including maritime lawyer Dr. Emeka Akabogu, Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, University of Lagos Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation Oluwaseun Osiyemi, President of the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria, Dr. Odunayo Ani, alongside representatives of the Danish Consulate and other leading maritime organisations.
President of the Maritime Forum, Dare Damilola, described the anniversary edition as more than a celebration, saying it is a legacy platform designed to deepen collaboration between academia and industry while preparing the next generation of maritime professionals and policy leaders.
According to him, the conference will stimulate conversations on the future of Nigeria’s maritime sector, bridge the gap between students and industry practitioners, encourage innovation and leadership among young people, strengthen stakeholder collaboration across the maritime ecosystem, and provide networking, mentorship and career development opportunities.
Speaking on SIFAX Group’s continued support for the initiative, the company’s Group Head of Corporate Communications, Olumuyiwa Akande, said the conference has become a strategic platform for connecting academic learning with practical industry experience while inspiring greater student interest in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
One of the major attractions of this year’s conference is the anniversary edition of the Blueprint Debate Competition, one of TAAM’s signature intellectual programmes.
Since its introduction in 2016, the competition has grown into a nationally recognised platform where university students debate critical issues affecting the maritime industry, economy, governance and public policy.