UN Re-elects Ex- NIMASA Director Winto Group Of Experts On Marine Environment

A former director, Marine Environment Management Department at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Felicia Mogo, has been re-elected into the United Nations (UN) Group of Experts on Marine Environment and Socio-Economics for the 2026–2030 cycle.

Dr Mogo, a leading sustainability advocate and pioneer of Nigeria’s blue economy was renominated under the African Group, thereby, underscoring Nigeria’s growing influence in global marine governance and reflecting sustained international confidence in the country’s technical expertise, policy insight, and leadership in ocean and blue economy matters.

Notably, Dr Mogo remains the first African woman ever elected to the UN Group of Experts on Marine Environment and Socio-Economics, a historic milestone she has consistently framed as a platform for delivery rather than symbolism.

She has described the role as “a unique opportunity to achieve impact, not a vulnerability,” emphasising competence, contribution, and results-driven engagement.

Reacting to the development, Dr Mogo stated, “Nigeria’s voice in global marine and blue economy governance is growing, and my renomination reflects that progress.”

During the third cycle of the UN Regular Process, Dr Mogo served as Lead Author for two strategic chapters on Shipping and Deep-Sea Minerals, and co-lead author for three additional chapters.

Beyond authorship, she played a key role in facilitating regional capacity-building programmes, strengthening institutional and technical understanding of marine governance across developing regions.

Her work within the UN framework has consistently bridged science, policy, and socio-economic realities, particularly for coastal and developing states, ensuring that African perspectives are firmly embedded in global assessments and reporting.

Often described as a “street and gown personality,” Dr Mogo combines grassroots engagement with high-level academic and policy leadership. She mentors emerging professionals through her NGO, the African Marine Environment Sustainability Initiative (AFMESI), which focuses on capacity building, policy advocacy, and sustainable ocean governance across Africa.

She is also a member of the Expert Group of the High-Level Panel on Sustainable Ocean Economy at the World Resources Institute (WRI), Washington DC, USA.

In addition to being widely credited with introducing the Blue Economy as a critical sustainability focus for Nigeria, Dr Mogo played a pioneering role in preparing officials of the former Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Federal House Committee on Maritime and Education through both local and international capacity-building programmes.