The 10th edition of the Taiwo Afolabi Annual Maritime (TAAM) Conference has been scheduled to take place on July 21, 2026.
Regarded as West Africa’s largest student-led maritime conference, the conference brings together no fewer than 2,000 participants from government, academia, the maritime industry, corporate organisations and the media.
TAAM is expected to take place in the University of Lagos under the auspices of its Maritime Forum.
It is being organized in partnership with Sifax Group, a conglomerate with several firms which are into various aspects of the nation’s economy, including port operations, cargo handling, logistics, aviation, and hospitability.
A statement issued by the organizers and made available to Maritime Bits said over the last decade, Sifax Group has remained the conference’s strongest supporter, helping to transform TAAM into a leading platform for youth engagement, industry collaboration and maritime capacity development.
According to the organizers, TAAM which is scheduled for July 20–21, 2026 will commemorate a decade of advancing maritime education, policy discourse and youth leadership with the theme: “Ten Tides of Impact: Raising a Generation to Position Nigeria as Africa’s Blue Giant.”
Signed by Sifax Group Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Oluwamuyiwa Akande, the statement revealed that the conference will feature keynote addresses, panel discussions and policy conversations led by leading figures from government, academia and the maritime industry, including Dr. Emeka Akabogu; Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola; University of Lagos Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola; Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi; President of the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA), Nigeria, Dr. Odunayo Ani; and representatives of the Danish Consulate and other leading maritime organisations.
It added that it was more than a commemorative event just as the President of Maritime Forum, Mr. Dare Tunde Damilola describes the anniversary edition as a legacy platform designed to strengthen collaboration between industry and academia and to develop the next generation of maritime professionals and policy leaders.
Damilola added that the conference aims to promote meaningful conversations on the future of Nigeria’s maritime industry, bridge the gap between students and practitioners, encourage innovation and leadership among young people, deepen stakeholder engagement across the maritime ecosystem, and create opportunities for networking, mentorship and career development.
On his part, Akande noted that the company has continued to support the initiative because it serves as a strategic platform to bridge the gap between academic theory and practical industry knowledge while also cultivating the university students’ interest in the country’s maritime industry.
According to him, a major highlight of this year’s programme is the anniversary edition of the Blueprint Debate Competition, one of TAAM’s longest-running intellectual initiatives.
He averred that since the conference was launched in 2016, the competition has evolved into a nationally recognised platform where university students engage in structured debates on maritime, economic, governance and public policy issues.
