Nigerian Maritime Expert, Bolanle Olufunmilayo Olotu, Shines at Atlantic Africa Conference in Morocco

Mrs. Bolanle Olufunmilayo Olotu, a distinguished Independent Maritime Analyst and former Manager of the Ports of Calabar and Lagos Apapa, Nigeria, played a pivotal role in the 2nd Edition of the Policy Center for the New South (PCNS) Conference-Debate held on May 22, 2025, in Rabat, Morocco.

The conference, themed “Atlantic Africa, Ambition for Integration and Operationalization Process,” brought together experts from 21 African Atlantic and Sahelian countries to discuss strategic maritime challenges and foster regional integration.

The debate also focused on the two major dynamics of cooperation underway in the region, namely: the African Atlantic States Process (AASP), and the process of opening up the Sahel countries.

Mrs. Olotu made significant contributions during the highly anticipated Third Panel, which focused on “Blue Economy and Maritime Connectivity as Important Levers of Convergence for Atlantic Africa.”
Her expertise illuminated the profound impact of the Blue Economy on regional development and the creation of new growth opportunities.

During her intervention, Mrs. Olotu masterfully highlighted the success stories of various countries within the Atlantic African space. More importantly, she passionately emphasized the immense potential of Africa’s unique assets: its burgeoning population, extensive Atlantic coastline, abundant natural resources, vibrant youth, rich culture, and diverse traditional languages.

She advocated for leveraging these strengths to foster networking and collaborative initiatives, ultimately aiming to maximize the potential of the Blue Economy to significantly boost intra-continental trade.

Her insights resonated deeply with the audience, offering a clear roadmap for how Atlantic African nations can harness their inherent advantages to achieve greater economic prosperity and integration.

Mrs. Olotu’s presence and impactful contributions underscored Nigeria’s commitment to regional maritime development and highlighted her personal dedication to advancing the Blue Economy agenda across Africa.

Apart from Mrs Olotu, the other speakers on the third panel on Blue Economy & Maritime Connection included; Abdelkerim Souleyman Terio, Director General of the Road Maintenance Fund, former Minister of Transport Chad; Siham Fellahi: Finance Inspector: Co-Coordinator PMU Development of the Blue Economy, Morocco; the Moderator of the session was Sabrine Emran, Senior Economist, PCNS Morocco; and Abdelmalek Faraj: Maritime Consultant Morocco.

Suffices to mention that the conference was structured around four panels. The first panel on “How to Build a Unifying Identity for Atlantic Africa,” Discussions focused on themes such as the importance of developing active ownership and support among Atlantic African countries and mapping the political, economic, and strategic opportunities in the region.

The second Panel on maritime governance and Knowledge of the Marine Environment in the African Atlantic region. The panelists analyzed the legal and institutional maritime regulatory frameworks, and equally addressed issues related to the development of in-depth knowledge of the marine environment in these areas.

The fourth panel focused on structuring projects capable of cementing the ongoing cooperation and integration processes in the Atlantic-African energy connectivity via the Nigeria-Morocco Africa-Atlantic Gas Pipeline viz-a-viz the region’s road and port networks .

This panel had the inputs of the second Nigerian at the Conference – Mrs. Bamise Olanrewaju – an Energy Expert who also made impactful contributions on the Nigeria-Morocco Gas and Pipeline collaboration.

The conference served as a crucial platform for dialogue and the exchange of ideas, with Mrs. Olotu’s expertise being a key driver in shaping the discussions around sustainable maritime development and connectivity in the Atlantic Africa region.