Oyetola: Marine Ministry Unlocking Nigeria’s Blue Economy Potential

• As NIMASA says Nigeria recorded four piracy-free years

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo and Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, has said the creation of a dedicated ministry for the sector by the President Bola Tinubu government is helping to unlock Nigeria’s marine resources for job creation, economic growth, and environmental sustainability. Oyetola stated this yesterday at his 72nd birthday celebration held at his country home in Iragbiji, Osun State.

He thanked Almighty Allah for preserving his life and expressed appreciation to his family, friends, and associates for celebrating with him.

In a another development, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on Wednesday revealed that Nigeria had recorded four consecutive years without a single piracy incident.

The agency attributed the milestone to sustained efforts to strengthen maritime safety and security, including the enactment and implementation of the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act.

Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, made the disclosure while speaking at the 21th Abuja International Trade Fair.

For his part, Oyetola said Nigeria was blessed with abundant marine resources, including 853 kilometres of coastline and about 10,000 kilometres of inland waterways, stressing that the creation of the ministry is aimed at unlocking the economic potential of the resources.

He stated, “First of all, we need to thank Mr. President for creating a dedicated ministry in the economy. Nigeria is blessed with a lot of resources, particularly in marine resources.

“The essence of creating the ministry is to unlock the potentials and resources that we have, to create jobs, economic growth and environmental stability.

“We’ve done so well by every standard within the three years that the ministry has been created.”

The minister said the ministry had developed a policy framework to guide investment opportunities in the marine and blue economy, while also making progress in maritime security and safety, including Nigeria’s admission into Category C of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) after about 15 years.

Oyetola said efforts were also ongoing to increase local fish production. He said output had risen from about 1.3 million to 1.5 million, while measures, such as advocacy, distribution of life jackets, and replacement of rickety boats were being implemented to reduce boat mishaps on inland waterways.

In the area of ports, the former Osun State governor said, “We are modernising the port, the existing port we have six of them in Nigeria, we are modernising the port because, we are losing so much in terms of revenue to the neighbouring countries, because of the level of draft that we have, the draft level for now is about 13 meters, whereas to attract big vessels we need 16 to 18 meters, so we are trying to increase the draft level to about 16 meters, that’s ongoing, it’s not limited to Apapa Tincan alone, we are doing Warri, Calabar, Port Harcourt, all the existing ports are being modernized.”

Equally speaking at the event, All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the August 15 governorship election in Osun State, Bola Oyebamiji, thanked Oyetola for his mentorship and support, praying Almighty Allah to grant him longevity, good health, grace, and blessings.

Oyebamiji said, “I’m happy to be here this morning to honour my boss, my leader, my mentor on his birthday. My prayer is for the almighty Allah to grant him longevity of life with an abundance of grace and blessings.

“And I want to appreciate the honourable minister for spreading his wealth, for distribution of his income to people both the indigent and even at least a lot of party members here today so I wish him long life.

“I pray again that the almighty Allah bestow him with good health.”

Mobereola, represented by Mrs. Nneka Obiano, said the progress made in maritime safety and security had significantly improved confidence in Nigeria’s maritime domain.

He recalled that Nigeria was previously regarded as one of the major piracy hotspots in the Gulf of Guinea, a situation that negatively affected vessel traffic, foreign investment, and the movement of goods and services.

According to him, “The absence of a dedicated legal framework for prosecuting piracy had been a major challenge until the SPOMO Act was enacted in 2019.

“The first successful prosecution of pirates under the Act between 2021 and 2022 demonstrated Nigeria’s resolve to confront maritime crimes through legal and institutional measures.

“Some of us may be aware of the time in the past when the Gulf of Guinea was regarded as the piracy hotspot of the world.”

Mobereola explained that the insecurity had serious economic consequences, as vessels were diverted to neighbouring countries, while investment and trade were disrupted.

“The introduction of the SPOMO Act changed the situation by providing a legal framework for prosecuting piracy and other maritime offences,” he added.

Mobereola stated that Nigeria’s success had attracted the attention of other countries in the Gulf of Guinea, with Cameroon and Ghana taking steps to strengthen their own legal frameworks against piracy.

Earlier, Head of the NIMASA Abuja Zonal Office, Buba Umar, said the agency’s participation in the trade fair was aimed at raising public awareness of its regulatory mandate and the vast opportunities in the maritime sector.

Umar stated that Nigeria was a maritime nation with significant potential for trade, investment, job creation, and economic diversification.

He assured that NIMASA will continue to collaborate with stakeholders to promote maritime safety, security, environmental responsibility, and sustainable development of the sector.

Umar urged visitors to engage with NIMASA officials at the agency’s exhibition stand for information on opportunities and activities within the maritime industry.

He added that the agency’s presence at the fair was part of efforts to deepen engagement with the business community, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and the public.