Policy
NIMENA calls for national hub after innovation score of 43.75%
The Nigerian Institution of Marine Engineers and Naval Architects has urged authorities and businesses to establish a coordinated framework following a low innovation assessment.
Key points
- Nigeria's maritime and energy innovation ecosystem scored 43.75 out of 100 in a recent assessment.
- The evaluation, conducted alongside Plug and Play, classified the sector as emerging due to skills gaps and weak collaboration.
- Proposals include a five-year roadmap to launch a dedicated innovation hub by 2030.
What happened
BusinessDay reported on October 17, 2026, that the Nigerian Institution of Marine Engineers and Naval Architects (NIMENA) has pressed for a unified national innovation agenda. An evaluation developed alongside global platform Plug and Play rated the country's maritime and energy innovation ecosystem at 43.75 out of 100, placing it in the emerging category.
Speaking at the report's release, NIMENA national chairman Eferebo Sylvanus noted that isolated public and private startup acceleration efforts restrict broader progress. According to Sylvanus, overcoming fragmentation is essential to build a structured framework for the sector.
Why it matters
The assessment reviewed five pillars: capital, network, society, initiatives, and regulations. While regulatory frameworks performed best, network and society metrics lagged behind, pointing to deficiencies in collaboration, specialised talent development, and retention.
Additional hurdles involve translating a young demographic into industry-ready talent, aligning corporate needs with startup capabilities, and applying funding policies consistently. With fuel exports accounting for 85.9 percent of merchandise exports in 2025 according to World Bank figures, strengthening local technological capabilities remains a key priority for industrial participation.
What comes next
To counter these constraints, NIMENA outlined a phased five-year roadmap aiming to advance the country's innovation ranking by 2030 through a dedicated Maritime and Energy Innovation Hub. Proposed measures feature targeted funding, clearer regulatory pathways, controlled testing environments, and a skills framework linking education directly to industry demands.
NIMENA plans to submit the findings to government ministries, regulatory bodies, engineering associations, and the National Assembly as a policy reference.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Policy sets the direction for energy investment: national transition plans, market reforms such as Nigeria’s Electricity Act 2023, and global commitments under the Paris Agreement.
62.5% of people in Nigeria had electricity in 2024Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
