The author of the book, “Blue Economy: Gateway to a Sustainable Future”, Dr Chika Chukwudi, has stressed the importance of the blue economy in driving Nigeria’s economic growth and sustainable development.
Dr Chukwudi stated this while speaking at the launch of her book in Abuja, saying that the blue economy represents a profound opportunity for Nigeria to unlock long-term financial and economic value through the sustainable use of ocean, coastal, and inland water resources.
She noted that the blue economy was globally valued at over $3 trillion annually, and Nigeria has the potential to benefit immensely from this sector, identifying key areas of opportunity, including fisheries and aquaculture, maritime transport, port services, marine tourism, renewable ocean energy, and marine biotechnology.
Chukwudi lamented the insufficient early exposure of young Nigerians to blue economy knowledge, skills, and career pathways, advocating for the integration of blue economy education into Nigeria’s primary and secondary school curricula.
“By introducing age-appropriate learning on marine sustainability, maritime logistics, fisheries, ocean conservation, and emerging blue technologies, we can truly catch them young, nurture early interest, and build a future-ready workforce,” she said.
Chukwudi expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for establishing the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, saying it’s a bold declaration that Nigeria is ready to unlock the vast wealth of its waters for national prosperity.
She also thanked the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, her colleagues, and stakeholders for their support and contributions to the book.
Chukwudi announced the launch of THE BLUE GATE, a non-governmental initiative dedicated to advancing awareness, education, and capacity-building in the blue economy, particularly among primary and post-primary learners.
She said the book is an invitation to policymakers, educators, investors, communities, and young people to work together to transform the blue economy into a catalyst for inclusive and sustainable national development.
Speaking at the event, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe said the book showed that there were important parts of the waters that we had not exploited, praising the author for writing the book and said the book gave an insight into the new marine and blue economic activities.
In his goodwill message at the event, Rep. Sam Onuigbo, Chairman of the Committee on Security, Climate Change and Special Interventions, North East Development Commission (NEDC), said that the blue economy is a catalyst for economic diversification, climate resilience, job creation, and long-term national competitiveness.
“The blue economy represents far more than the sustainable use of marine and aquatic resources—it is a gateway to economic diversification, climate resilience, job creation, and long-term national competitiveness,” he said.
Onuigbo, who sponsored Nigeria’s Climate Change Act, 2021, noted that the Act provides a robust framework for climate action, emphasising nature-based solutions and natural capital accounting.
He also commended President Tinubu’s administration for establishing the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, saying it’s a deliberate policy shift towards recognising marine and aquatic resources as central to sustainable national development.
Onuigbo urged Nigerians and policymakers to mainstream climate actions in their development plans, citing Section 26 of the Climate Change Act, which mandates integrating climate change into educational curricula.
He commended Dr Chukwudi’s work, saying it offers timely insights for policy formulation, industry practice, and academic discourse, just as he applauded the organisers and stakeholders for strengthening Nigeria’s climate and sustainability architecture.
Professor Ngozi Ezenwosu, the book reviewer, said the whole essence of the book is to create awareness for the Nigerian government and the world that there are potentials and opportunities, and you need to harness them.
She said that the book, which has 106 pages of seven chapters, is an eye-opener for everyone on the importance of the Blue Economy and urged security agencies to secure Nigeria’s waters.
The event was attended by community leaders, women, youth, students, and the wider public, who were encouraged to engage, learn, and act on the blue economy.
