Economic growth drive: MARCON honours Gov Fubara, free zones chiefs

By Ezurike Ugochukwu 

The Maritime Correspondents Organisation of Nigeria has announced plans to honour Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State alongside the Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, Olufemi Ogunyemi, and the Managing Director of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority, Usman Bamanga Jada, at its 2026 Annual Conference in Port Harcourt.

The conference, scheduled for June 10, 2026, at Hotel Presidential, will convene key stakeholders across Nigeria’s maritime, trade, and industrial sectors to examine the theme: “Special Economic Zones as Catalysts to Sustainable Blue Economy.”

Governor Fubara, who will attend as Special Guest of Honour, is expected to declare the conference open. He will also receive the MARCON Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to the promotion of the blue economy and the development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Rivers State.

MARCON noted that Rivers State remains a strategic hub in Nigeria’s maritime and economic ecosystem, hosting major stakeholders within the SEZ framework, including regulators and private sector operators. The state’s role in advancing industrialisation, trade facilitation, and logistics development continues to reinforce its importance in Nigeria’s economic diversification efforts.

Similarly, Ogunyemi will be conferred with the MARCON Award of Excellence for Economic Development for his leadership at NEPZA. Under his stewardship, Nigeria’s free trade zones have recorded increased investments, improved ease of doing business, and expanded their contribution to export growth and industrialisation.

In the same vein, Bamanga Jada will receive the Award of Excellence for Economic Development for his leadership at OGFZA, where the authority has driven growth through infrastructure expansion, increased investments, and strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening oil and gas free zones as engines of job creation and economic development.

Speaking ahead of the event, Secretary of the Planning Committee, Adaku Onyenaucheya, said the conference is designed to deepen dialogue on the role of SEZs in driving sustainable economic growth.

According to her, the gathering will provide a platform for engagement among policymakers, regulators, and private sector players, with discussions expected to explore challenges, opportunities, and future prospects within Nigeria’s SEZ and blue economy space.

She added that this year’s edition is particularly significant as it highlights the intersection between Special Economic Zones and the blue economy two critical pillars for Nigeria’s long-term economic sustainability.