MONROVIA, Liberia – Africa’s push to unlock the vast economic potential of its seas risks stalling amid persistent piracy, illegal fishing, and worsening environmental degradation, the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) has warned.
KMA Director General Justus Nyarandi, who also chairs the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA), called for stronger continental collaboration to safeguard Africa’s maritime domain and grow its blue economy.
Speaking during the 8th AAMA Conference in Monrovia, Liberia, Nyarandi said piracy and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing remain major threats to regional waters, draining resources and undermining livelihoods.
“Piracy may have evolved in form, but it persists. Illegal and unregulated fishing continues to plunder our resources,” he said. “We are yet to run African internal fleets, and our seafarers still lack ships for sea-time training.”
Nyarandi lamented Africa’s limited ownership of commercial vessels, saying it forces countries to spend billions annually on freight services from foreign shipping companies.
The lack of locally owned ships, he noted, also locks out many trained African seafarers from gaining experience at sea, leaving them unemployed despite global demand for maritime professionals.
Beyond security and trade challenges, Nyarandi said marine pollution and climate change are taking a toll on coastal communities and marine ecosystems.
“The impacts of climate change are eroding our coastlines and altering our maritime domain,” he said, adding that Africa must adopt proactive measures to strengthen its resilience.
To counter these threats, the KMA boss urged African governments to enhance maritime governance and security through joint patrols, data sharing, and digital monitoring systems.
He also called for investment in training, technology, and digital ports to improve efficiency and safety.
Nyarandi further pushed for harmonised legal and regulatory frameworks to facilitate intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and align with the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) sustainability goals.
“This conference is not just a meeting; it is a call to action,” he told delegates. “Let us leave Monrovia with a renewed sense of unity and a clear roadmap toward a safer, more secure, and more prosperous maritime future.”
Under Kenya’s current chairmanship of AAMA, Nyarandi said efforts are focused on strengthening regional cooperation and turning policy discussions into tangible outcomes, including through the establishment of an AAMA Secretariat.
Liberia, one of the world’s largest ship registries, is hosting this year’s conference, which brings together maritime administrators from across Africa to deliberate on issues such as maritime safety, decarbonisation, and blue economy growth.
