The Alumni of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron have commended Nigeria’s first National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, saying that it was a landmark framework for sustainable management of marine resources.
The AMANO President, Mr Emmanuel Maiguwa, gave the commendation during a courtesy visit by the executive committee to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, at his office in Abuja.
This is contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to the minister, Dr Bolaji Akinola, made available to newsmen in Lagos on Thursday.
The AMANO president praised Dr Oyetola for his transformative reforms repositioning Nigeria’s marine and blue economy for sustainable growth and global competitiveness.
President Bola Tinubu in Council had in May 2025 approved Nigeria’s 10-Year National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy 2025-2034.
The policy was designed with a robust implementation plan to harness Nigeria’s vast marine resources to drive economic growth.
Maiguwa said the policy provided a clear roadmap for investment, environmental sustainability, capacity development, innovation and inter-agency collaboration across Nigeria’s maritime sector operations.
“The policy will ensure investor certainty, strengthen institutional coordination, and position the blue economy to drive diversification, employment and foreign exchange earnings,” he said.
Maiguwa also lauded the quarterly Stakeholders and Citizens Engagement Summit, saying that it demonstrated inclusive leadership and transparent governance within the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
He said the engagements provided a platform for government, regulators, operators, investors, unions and professional bodies to address challenges and develop practical solutions for the sector’s advancement.
The AMANO president further affirmed the association’s commitment to preserving the integrity and specialised mandate of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, for global standards.
He stated that protecting the Academy’s status would ensure that Nigeria continued producing competent maritime professionals certified under the IMO conventions and STCW requirements for global employability.
“We must preserve professionalism and sustain competent manpower supply. Our members work locally and internationally, so we insist nothing should undermine the Academy’s core mandate,” Maiguwa stressed.
He announced AMANO’s Stakeholders’ Engagement and National Convention for November, and invited Oyetola to chair the event and deliver the keynote address on the sector’s growth.
Responding, Dr Oyetola thanked AMANO for the recognition and pledged that the ministry would sustain its reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for economic diversification.
He said the Ministry was modernising infrastructure, improving ease of doing business, strengthening regulation and attracting investment into shipping, ports, fisheries, aquaculture, coastal tourism and other value chains.
The minister assured that government would create a level playing field for indigenous ship owners to thrive, expand operations and retain more value within Nigeria’s maritime economy.
