By The Blue Africa Conference & Exhibition (BACE) will hold its second edition in Lagos from Aug. 12-14, 2027, organizers said on Monday, as the event shifts focus from discussion of Africa’s ocean-based economy toward attracting investment and building projects.
The gathering, themed “Sea to Scale,” will bring together governments, investors, port authorities, shipping companies and technology providers involved in Africa’s blue economy, a term covering industries such as shipping, fisheries, ports and coastal tourism, according to a statement from organizers.
BACE 2027 follows the inaugural conference held in Lagos in August 2026, which drew 100 VIP delegates and senior decision-makers from 18 countries, including government officials, maritime administrations, port authorities, financiers and development partners, the statement said.
The first edition was held in partnership with the Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), a regional intergovernmental body.
Delegates at the 2026 conference discussed a proposed three-vessel door-to-door cargo service for West and Central Africa, potential ferry connections between Lagos and Monrovia, and investment opportunities in Sierra Leone spanning ports, logistics, digitalization and fisheries, according to organizers.
Organizers said the 2027 edition would prioritize converting identified opportunities into funded, operating projects, rather than continuing exploratory discussions.
“Africa does not lack blue potential. What we need are investment-ready projects capable of converting that potential into prosperity,” Sierra Leone’s Minister of Transport and Aviation, Alhaji Fanday Turay, said in comments cited by organizers.
BACE 2027 will be open to a wider range of African businesses and international partners, according to the statement.
Organizers said investors, banks and development finance institutions would be presented with specific projects, while ports, shipping lines and logistics firms would focus on connectivity issues.
Technology companies are expected to showcase products for maritime operations, fisheries and environmental management, the statement said.
The conference is organized by Bahari Network in collaboration with Afro Chamber and Emerge Media, according to organizers.
Organizers said Lagos was chosen as a hub for the event because of its role as one of Africa’s largest commercial centers and a major maritime gateway on the Gulf of Guinea.
The Gulf of Guinea region includes ports, coastal cities and production centers that, if better connected, could form an integrated Atlantic trade corridor linking African producers with African and global markets, organizers said in the statement.
Organizers also pointed to recent disruptions at major global shipping chokepoints as a reason to diversify trade routes, without naming specific incidents.
Africa’s coastline spans more than 30,000 kilometers (18,600 miles) and touches 38 of the continent’s 54 countries, according to the African Union, which has designated the blue economy a priority area for development under its Agenda 2063 development framework.
International bodies, including the United Nations and the World Bank, have identified sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture, shipping, ports and offshore energy as areas where African countries could generate jobs and revenue, though development has been constrained by limited port infrastructure, financing gaps and regulatory hurdles in many coastal states.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has sought in recent years to expand its maritime and port sectors as part of efforts to diversify an economy heavily reliant on oil exports.
The 2026 conference was the first edition of BACE, which organizers describe as a platform dedicated to advancing Africa’s blue economy through investment, infrastructure, trade and what they term “responsible ocean stewardship.”
