By Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has called for deeper collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments, the private sector and development partners to drive the implementation of Nigeria’s National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, saying stronger sub-national participation is key to unlocking the country’s vast maritime resources.
Speaking on Thursday at the Second Quarter 2026 Citizens’ and Stakeholders’ Engagement organised by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in Lagos, Oyetola stressed that Nigeria had moved beyond policy formulation and must now concentrate on implementation capable of delivering tangible economic benefits.
The engagement, themed “From Policy to Action: Mobilising Sub-National Governments for Effective Implementation of Nigeria’s National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy,” attracted government officials, diplomats, development partners, industry stakeholders, academics and representatives of state governments.
According to the minister, while the National Policy provides a strategic framework for harnessing Nigeria’s oceans, inland waterways, fisheries and coastal resources, its success will depend largely on coordinated action across all tiers of government.
He noted that many of Nigeria’s blue economy assets are situated within states and local communities, making state governments indispensable partners in attracting investments, creating jobs, improving food security and promoting environmental sustainability.
Oyetola also highlighted reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, saying they had strengthened stakeholder engagement, improved maritime safety, attracted investments and enhanced the competitiveness of Nigerian ports.
He pointed to the 2025 Container Port Performance Index compiled by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence, which ranked Tin Can Island Port as the 10th most improved container port globally and Lagos Port Complex as the 12th most improved between 2020 and 2025.
The minister disclosed that ongoing port modernisation and proposed deep seaport projects in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Lagos and Ondo states would further strengthen Nigeria’s ambition of becoming West Africa’s preferred maritime hub.
He added that improved port efficiency had helped Nigeria maintain a national trade surplus since 2024, while ongoing efforts to improve inland waterway safety included nationwide distribution of life jackets and collaboration with state governments to replace unsafe wooden passenger boats with fibre boats.
Oyetola urged coastal states to align their development plans with the National Policy while encouraging greater private sector investment in fisheries, aquaculture, maritime transport, tourism, shipbuilding, renewable energy and marine biotechnology.
In his keynote address, Bayelsa State Governor, Duoye Diri, described the creation of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy as a bold move towards economic diversification.
Diri revealed that Bayelsa established its own Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in 2024 to drive the marine sector under the state’s A-S-S-U-R-E-D Prosperity Agenda.
He said the state had commenced large-scale fish production at its Aquaculture Village in Yenegwe, expanded its marine transport fleet and intensified efforts to develop the proposed Agge Deep Seaport as a major maritime gateway for the Niger Delta.
The governor also recommended that coastal states establish dedicated marine and blue economy ministries, enact enabling legislation, secure their maritime domains, invest in credible data systems and strengthen skills development, innovation and logistics infrastructure.
Also speaking, President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, said the success of the National Policy would depend significantly on sustained private sector participation.
Represented by the Managing Director of Dangote Port Operations, Simeon Akin Omole, Dangote noted that the policy aims to create three million jobs within four years, achieve seven per cent annual sectoral growth and reserve at least half of all new jobs for young Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 35.
He identified policy consistency, quality infrastructure, access to finance and investor confidence as essential ingredients for industrial transformation, while highlighting infrastructure-led industrialisation, value-chain development and stronger public-private partnerships as the pillars for unlocking the sector’s full potential.
Dangote further described the fisheries value chain as one of the country’s biggest investment opportunities, noting that Nigeria still spends nearly one billion dollars annually on fish imports despite growing local production.
According to him, increased investment in aquaculture, hatcheries, feed production, processing, cold-chain logistics and export infrastructure could significantly reduce imports, conserve foreign exchange, create over 500,000 jobs and position Nigeria as a leading exporter of fisheries products.
He also called for public-private partnerships that extend beyond financing to include strategic collaboration among government, investors, research institutions and coastal communities, adding that coastal industrial clusters supported by modern ports, Special Economic Zones and digital infrastructure would accelerate industrialisation and attract long-term investment.
Goodwill messages were delivered by the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator Wasiu Sanni Eshinlokun, representatives of the governors of Ondo and Borno states, as well as private sector operators, all of whom pledged support for the successful implementation of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy agenda.
