The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has been elected as the Chairman of the Conference of Ministers of the Fisheries Committee for the West and Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC).
Oyetola’s Special Adviser, Dr. Bolaji Akinola, explained in a statement that the election took place on Thursday during the 16th Conference of Ministers of the FCWC, hosted by Nigeria at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The high-level regional meeting, held under the theme “Securing Our Ocean Future: People, Resources, and Commitments,” brought together ministers and senior officials from FCWC member states including Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Togo, alongside representatives of regional institutions, international partners, and maritime experts.
Oyetola expressed deep gratitude for the confidence reposed in him by his colleagues and pledged to build on the strong foundation laid by his predecessors. He underscored his commitment to advancing collective action against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, a major threat to marine sustainability and regional stability.
He said, “Together, we must put an end to the scourge of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in our waters. This menace robs our nations of economic opportunities, threatens food security, and undermines the livelihoods of millions who depend on the sea. Under my chairmanship, I will work collaboratively with all member states to ensure stronger enforcement, better data sharing, and improved governance of our shared marine resources.”
The minister emphasised that his tenure would prioritise regional cooperation, transparency, and capacity building as tools to strengthen the collective management of ocean resources within the West Central Gulf of Guinea. He noted that effective ocean governance is a shared responsibility demanding political will, coordinated enforcement, and sustained cross-border partnerships.
Earlier in his keynote address to the Conference, Oyetola welcomed delegates on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s strong commitment to the FCWC and highlighted the growing importance of the blue economy in national development.
“Our sub-region is richly endowed with marine resources that support livelihoods, food security, trade, and cultural identity for millions of our people,” he said. “Yet these resources face growing pressures from IUU fishing, maritime insecurity, pollution, and the far-reaching impacts of climate change. These are challenges that no nation can overcome in isolation; they demand sustained regional collaboration, political will, and shared responsibility.”
Oyetola noted that the Tinubu administration views the marine and blue economy as a strategic frontier for economic diversification and transformation, outlining Nigeria’s ongoing reforms in port modernisation, maritime security, aquaculture expansion, and institutional coordination aimed at fostering sustainable growth.
He called for strengthened joint patrols, harmonised regulations, real-time intelligence sharing, and coordinated enforcement mechanisms among FCWC member states.
