Prominent maritime professional, Chiamaka Mogo has been honoured with the Rising Woman in Maritime Award at the 2026 edition of the Women in Maritime and Energy Awards, held last month at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos.

Organisers described the Rising Woman in Maritime Award as a distinction reserved for women who are advancing the sector while inspiring others through leadership and measurable impact, across Africa’s maritime sector. Mogo was celebrated for her leadership, global impact, and commitment to advancing marine environmental sustainability and inclusive development.

With a distinguished career spanning Nigeria and Canada, Mogo has held senior roles across government, multilateral institutions and civil society. She previously served as Deputy Administrator of Canada’s Ship-source Oil Pollution Fund from 2023 to 2025, where she helped oversee a fund, dedicated to compensating victims of ship-source oil pollution. As the first woman and African to hold the role, she led investigations, pursued legal action against polluters, and approved over $3 million in compensation for affected individuals and communities.

Her work also extends to international policy, serving as a Communications and Policy Research Lead with the World Bank on a marine development project in Nigeria, supporting reforms and investment strategies to strengthen coastal livelihoods.
Mogo is also a published researcher contributing data-driven insights to sustainable maritime planning in Nigeria.

Mogo says that she is “deeply grateful for the recognition and committed to strengthening environmental stewardship and inclusion within the maritime space”. She also attributed her success in the maritime sector to the African Marine Environment Sustainability Initiative, based in Lagos. The organization, where her maritime journey first began.

Her recognition reflects a broader shift as more women continue to shape the future of maritime and energy in Nigeria and across the continent.