The Continental Conference and fourth General Assembly of Women in Maritime Africa (WIMAFRICA) held on 27 and 28 August 2025 in Douala, under the distinguished patronage of the Head of State, President Paul Biya. The event brought together close to 300 women in the maritime industry from Angola, Benin, Gabon, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, DR Congo, Sierra Leone, Togo, and the host Cameroon.

Alongside a host of administrative authorities, the opening ceremony was attended by prominent figures of Douala’s port community, the Director General of the Port Authority of Douala Mr. Cyrus Ngo, and the General Manager of the Cameroon National Shippers’ Council, Honorary President of WIMA-CAMEROON, Mr. Auguste Mbappe Penda.

Holding under the theme "Challenges and opportunities for women in Africa", the event featured speeches from various personalities present, amongst whom WIMA-CAMEROON’s Honorary President, who acknowledged the women for their resilience and lauded the initiative begun in 2015, with this year marking the organisation’s 10th anniversary.

Panel discussions during the conference revolved around the Inclusion of women in blue economy development policies in Cameroon and Africa and their role in the fishery value chain for sustainable food security in the local blue economy; Training, capacity building and women entrepreneurship in the blue economy emerging opportunities; and Digitization, safety, security and the blue economy in ports. These mainly highlighted the key role played by women in the male-dominated maritime industry across Africa.

Amidst its challenges, the maritime industry holds a variety of women-led activities that can drive the blue economy. For optimal performance, there is a need for training and education on the sustainable management of marine resources, the use of modern technological tools, and the establishment of cooperatives to facilitate access to funding and promote synergy. African women should not be passengers; rather, they should be captains for change through the blue economy.