The Federal Government has called for stronger cooperation among federal and state governments, private investors, and development partners to speed up the implementation of Nigeria’s National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, made the appeal on Thursday during the Second Quarter 2026 Citizens’ and Stakeholders’ Engagement organised by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
The event, themed “From Policy to Action: Mobilising Sub-National Governments for Effective Implementation of Nigeria’s National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy,” brought together government officials, diplomats, development agencies, business leaders, academics, and representatives from different state governments.
Speaking at the gathering, Oyetola said Nigeria has completed the stage of developing policies and should now focus on putting them into action to deliver real economic growth and create more opportunities for citizens.
According to him, state governments have a major role to play because many of Nigeria’s marine resources, including waterways, coastlines, fisheries, and tourism assets, are located within their territories. He stressed that effective collaboration between all levels of government would help unlock the full economic value of these resources.
The minister also highlighted several achievements recorded under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He said the administration’s reforms have strengthened stakeholder engagement, attracted new investments into the maritime sector, improved safety on Nigerian waters, and boosted the competitiveness of the country’s ports.
Oyetola pointed to the 2025 Container Port Performance Index published by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence, which ranked Tin Can Island Port as the 10th most improved port in the world. Lagos Port Complex in Apapa also secured the 12th position among the most improved ports globally between 2020 and 2025.
He explained that ongoing port modernisation projects, alongside plans to build new deep seaports in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Lagos, and Ondo states, would strengthen Nigeria’s position as the leading maritime hub in West Africa.
According to the minister, improvements in port operations have also contributed to Nigeria maintaining a trade surplus since 2024, reflecting increased efficiency in imports and exports.
On inland waterways, Oyetola said the ministry has intensified efforts to improve safety by working closely with relevant agencies and state governments. These efforts include distributing life jackets across the country and encouraging operators to replace old wooden passenger boats with safer and more durable fibre boats.
He further urged coastal states to align their development strategies with the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy. He encouraged greater private sector investment in key areas such as fisheries, aquaculture, maritime transport, coastal tourism, shipbuilding, renewable energy, and marine biotechnology.
Delivering the keynote address, Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, praised President Bola Tinubu for establishing the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, describing the decision as a significant step toward reducing Nigeria’s dependence on oil and expanding other sectors of the economy.
Diri noted that Bayelsa created its own Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in June 2024 and has already begun large-scale fish farming through the Bayelsa Aquaculture Village in Yenagoa. He added that the state is also pushing ahead with plans to develop the proposed Agge Deep Seaport.
The governor advised other coastal states to establish similar ministries, introduce supportive laws, strengthen maritime security, invest in reliable data systems, develop logistics infrastructure, and promote innovation and skills development to fully benefit from Nigeria’s growing marine and blue economy.
