Maritime Bank targets national carrier, shipbuilding in strategic push
By Temitope Adebayo
The Regional Maritime Development Bank (RMDB) has outlined a bold strategy to drive Nigeria’s maritime sector transformation, with a focus on establishing a national shipping carrier, financing cabotage vessels, and investing in shipbuilding and repair facilities.
RMDB President, Adeniran Aderogba, disclosed the bank’s priority areas during a high-level meeting in Abuja with officials of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and key stakeholders from relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). The strategic session aimed to align national efforts toward maritime sector growth and infrastructure development.
Aderogba presented the bank’s implementation plan, which covers port construction and modernisation, inland waterways transport, and multimodal logistics integration. He emphasised the importance of these interventions in strengthening Nigeria’s role as a maritime hub for West and Central Africa.
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“At RMDB, we envision a maritime industry that drives sustainable economic growth, regional trade competitiveness, and job creation,” Aderogba said. “Our focus on building a national carrier, financing indigenous cabotage vessels, and investing in shipyards is critical to closing infrastructure gaps and reducing capital flight.”
He added that the bank’s role is not limited to funding projects but to creating a long-term legacy of maritime resilience and regional integration. Collaboration with public and private sector stakeholders, he noted, will be key to delivering results.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, NIMASA, NPA, NIWA, NNPC Limited, and NCDMB. Participants welcomed the RMDB’s strategic direction and pledged support for project implementation.
Discussions identified key areas for synergy, including infrastructure funding, policy harmonisation, regulatory support, and access to finance for local maritime players. An inter-ministerial committee is expected to be set up to fast-track policy support for the bank’s initiatives.
With RMDB positioned to mobilise funding and technical capacity across the region, the meeting marks a significant step in repositioning Nigeria’s maritime and blue economy as a core pillar of sustainable development and regional leadership.
