Nigeria has agreed to serve as the pilot country for the implementation of a Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels in West Africa, a move aimed at strengthening the fight against illegal fishing and deepening cooperative marine governance across the Gulf of Guinea.
The commitment was announced by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, who also chairs the Conference of Ministers of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), during a high-level engagement with the organisation’s Secretary-General and secretariat staff in Abuja.
Oyetola said Nigeria’s readiness to host the pilot phase reflects its determination to translate regional leadership into concrete actions that curb illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing while promoting sustainable fisheries management in the Gulf of Guinea. According to him, credible leadership in the sub-region must be backed by practical, results-driven initiatives.
The proposed Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels is expected to establish a verified and harmonised database of industrial fishing vessels authorised to operate within the maritime zones of FCWC member states. The register will cover both foreign and domestic fleets and is designed to enhance transparency, accountability and cross-border cooperation in a region long affected by illicit fishing practices.
The initiative builds on a regional roadmap earlier endorsed by FCWC member states and reaffirmed under the Monrovia Declaration, which outlined steps for creating a shared vessel register as a governance tool for West and Central Africa’s fisheries sector.
Oyetola explained that Nigeria’s pilot role would help test the system’s feasibility, identify operational gaps and generate lessons that would guide wider regional deployment. He pledged that Nigeria would support other member states once full implementation begins, stressing that collective action remains vital to protecting shared fish stocks and coastal livelihoods.
“The project is envisaged as a formalised and validated regional database containing comprehensive and reliable information on fishing vessels authorised to operate within the maritime jurisdictions of FCWC member states. This represents a major step forward in strengthening transparency, accountability and cooperation in fisheries governance across our shared waters,” the minister said.
He also highlighted complementary regional efforts, including joint patrols and enforcement initiatives under the West Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme, implemented by the FCWC in partnership with the European Fisheries Control Agency, aimed at deterring illegal fishing activities.
In addition, Oyetola disclosed that Nigeria’s draft National Plan of Action against illegal fishing is currently being reviewed and updated following the transfer of fisheries oversight to the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy. He said the review underscores the country’s renewed resolve to address IUU fishing in a coordinated and comprehensive manner.
The minister proposed deeper institutional collaboration with the FCWC, including a high-level Nigerian delegation to the organisation’s secretariat and regional monitoring centre. He also called for closer cooperation on harmonising food safety and fisheries regulatory standards among member states to enhance intra-regional trade and consumer protection.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to regional cooperation, Oyetola said his tenure as chairman of the FCWC Conference of Ministers would prioritise practical outcomes, stronger institutions and the sustainable use of ocean resources. He described the pilot vessel register as a defining step toward transparent and accountable fisheries governance in West Africa.
Earlier, the FCWC Secretary-General, Antoine Gaston Djihinto, commended Nigeria for its leadership and commitment to tackling illegal fishing and boosting fish production. He also praised the Ministry for hosting what he described as an outstanding FCWC Conference in Lagos in November 2025.
The FCWC is an intergovernmental organisation established in 2007 to promote regional cooperation in fisheries management among its six member states—Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Togo. Headquartered in Tema, Ghana, the organisation focuses on harmonising fisheries legislation, strengthening monitoring and surveillance, and promoting a sustainable blue economy to support livelihoods across the sub-region.
