Africa is navigating a critical, rapid transition in maritime decarbonisation, needing to balance essential economic growth with global IMO climate goals. ‘Dami Osinuga, PhD, MCIArb, Managing Partner at DOLP Legal Advisory and the Head of the Dispute Resolution and Shipping Practice Groups, gives us a regional perspective and the key areas of focus in Africa at the moment.

💡 Key conversations shaping the continent include:

🌍 African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
A massive driver of regional integration and globalisation, aiming to boost intra-African trade.

🌱 Decarbonisation and sustainability
Currently, sustainability is less a focus for businesses than their more immediate concern of survival in a disrupted environment. While not yet driven by strong local regulations, sustainability reporting is frequently a necessity as a result of contractual requirements linked to securing financing, especially from Europe.

⚓ Infrastructural development
The reality is that for Africa, the sustainability conversation “is still very much whispering”, and needs more support and policy alignment to turn the whisper into a clear, unified voice for a sustainable future.

It is important to understand regional contexts and perspectives when implementing global regulations. To transform Africa’s maritime sector, a coordinated effort is needed: policy must align with financing mechanisms, turning the silent whisper into a unified continental mandate for green infrastructural development. African nations must seize this moment to lead, securing a competitive, sustainable future for regional and global trade.

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