WIMA Nigeria advances blue economy in Tomoro community with fishing equipment donation to women

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Women in Maritime Africa (WIMA) Nigeria has donated two fishing boats and fishing nets to members of the Tomoro, Araromi Onisiwo riverine community, reaffirming its commitment to empowering coastal communities and ensuring that Nigeria’s Blue Economy delivers tangible benefits to people whose livelihoods depend directly on the waterways.

The intervention was made during a community empowerment outreach led by the President of WIMA Nigeria, Mrs. Theodora Nwaeze, who said the initiative was aimed at strengthening livelihoods and creating economic opportunities for women and youths in the riverine community.

Nwaeze said the donation was consistent with the organisation’s strategic focus on Empowerment, Innovation, Collaboration and National Visibility, stressing that the Blue Economy must translate from policy discussions into practical opportunities for Nigerians, particularly those living and working along the nation’s waterways.

She urged the beneficiaries to treat the boats and fishing equipment as productive assets, use them responsibly and ensure that they contribute to sustainable livelihoods within the community.

“We believe that when we empower a woman, we strengthen a family; when we strengthen a community, we strengthen the nation,” Nwaeze said.

Speaking as keynote guest, Chief (Mrs.) Jean Chiazor Anishere, SAN, former Continental President of WIMA Africa and inaugural President of WIMA Nigeria, described the intervention as an investment in people and local economic development.

Anishere, who is also President of the Maritime Arbitrators Association of Nigeria, stressed that empowerment programmes should be viewed as interventions capable of generating sustainable economic activity rather than acts of charity.

“Empowerment is not charity; empowerment is economic development,” she said.

She pledged her support for further development initiatives in the riverine community and called for broader interventions covering modern fishing technology, safety equipment, affordable financing, insurance, fish processing and preservation, storage facilities and access to markets.

The maritime lawyer also urged government and other stakeholders to improve basic infrastructure in fishing communities, including landing facilities, roads, electricity, potable water, healthcare and security.

According to her, Nigeria’s Blue Economy policy would have limited impact if its benefits remained concentrated around ports, shipping companies and government institutions without reaching communities whose economic survival is directly tied to the country’s rivers, creeks, lagoons and coastal waters.

The President of the Modern Crayfish Fishermen Cooperative Multipurpose Society Limited, Hon. Ben Mosan, commended WIMA Nigeria for the initiative and expressed the cooperative’s readiness to deepen its partnership with the organisation.

Mosan identified skills development, entrepreneurship, access to finance, business training, health education, leadership development and advocacy as critical areas requiring greater attention if women and other operators in fishing communities are to achieve sustainable economic growth.

He noted that strengthening women’s economic capacity would have a multiplier effect on households and communities, particularly in riverine areas where fishing and related activities constitute major sources of livelihood.

The intervention also highlights the importance of integrating local communities into Nigeria’s broader maritime development strategy. While investments in ports, shipping, marine transportation and other blue economy sectors remain important, sustainable growth also requires attention to small-scale operators who depend on the waterways for daily income.

WIMA Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to working with communities, government agencies, private-sector organisations and other stakeholders to promote sustainable livelihoods, responsible use of marine resources and greater participation of women in the maritime and Blue Economy sectors.

The organisation stressed that the sustainable development of Nigeria’s maritime sector must be people-centred, particularly for communities located along rivers, creeks, waterways and coastal areas.

The donation of fishing boats and nets to Tomoro therefore represents not only material support for beneficiaries, but also WIMA Nigeria’s broader effort to connect national Blue Economy aspirations with grassroots economic empowerment.

The organisation said it would continue to explore partnerships and interventions capable of improving the livelihoods, skills and economic resilience of women and youths in Nigeria’s coastal and riverine communities.