The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has deepened its strategic partnership with the World Bank under the PROBLUE initiative to deliver key projects and operationalise Nigeria’s Blue Economy Blueprint.
The collaboration was the focus of a high-level technical meeting convened to validate findings and results critical to the country’s maritime future.
The meeting provided a platform to review progress on a coherent and actionable Blue Economy Framework for Nigeria.
The framework aims to strengthen governance, improve marine spatial planning, upgrade data systems, and drive stakeholder engagement to ensure long-term institutional coordination.
Speaking at the technical session, Permanent Secretary Mrs Fatima Mahmood commended the World Bank delegation led by Marcelo Hector Acerbi and Yolanda Molares, and the Advisory Committee, for the quality of technical assistance delivered.
She expressed satisfaction with the scope of work completed, particularly advances in data systems and analytical outputs that will underpin policy and investment decisions.
Mahmood stressed that the focus must now shift from analysis to action. She said the final report must explicitly identify “bankable projects” capable of attracting financing from the World Bank and other international development partners.
“Investment mobilisation is the priority,” she said. “All technical outputs must translate into practical, investable outcomes that drive the development of Nigeria’s blue economy.”
Also speaking, Yolanda Molares, Lead of the World Bank Consortium, thanked the Honourable Minister, the Permanent Secretary, the Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Marine and Blue Economy for their roles in advancing the technical collaboration.
Molares said the partnership is foundational to establishing a robust Blue Data Bank and implementing precise data-generation methodologies.
She noted that the work will culminate in a comprehensive Integrated Coastal Zone Management report and the strategic creation of Blue Clusters across pilot states, calling it a significant milestone in Nigeria’s maritime evolution.
According to her, developing these clusters will reveal high-value investment opportunities and open the way for targeted grants and sustained support from the World Bank.
The engagement also brought in technical consultants supporting implementation across policy reform and investment planning. Their input confirmed the readiness of the proposed cluster model and integrated coastal management approaches.
The strategic partnership is anchored in the objectives of the PROBLUE initiative, a multi-donor trust fund housed at the World Bank that supports sustainable and integrated development of marine and coastal resources in healthy oceans.
In Nigeria, PROBLUE seeks to foster a sustainable ocean economy by tackling marine pollution, improving fisheries management, and diversifying maritime sectors to ensure economic resilience and environmental stewardship.
