The National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy will provide a transformative framework for harnessing Nigeria’s vast marine resources, creating jobs, enhancing sustainability, and unlocking economic opportunities across critical sectors like fisheries, aquaculture, maritime transport, and tourism, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has said.
The Minister spoke on Tuesday in Lagos at the opening of the Technical Validation Workshop, part of a two-stage Stakeholders’ engagement sessions to develop a comprehensive National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy.
The consultations with key stakeholders nationwide are part of the Ministry’s efforts to develop a comprehensive National Policy, with the aim to establishing a sustainable framework that fosters economic growth through the responsible management of marine and blue resources, so as to guarantee that exploits in the sector aligns with global best practices and contributes to Nigeria’s development objectives.
In his keynote address in Lagos, Oyetola emphasised that “the blue economy is a transformative pathway for nations seeking to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability.”
“At the end of this process, we expect to deliver a national policy document that clearly sets out the roadmap to developing our blue economy, creating jobs, promoting private sector investments, and delivering inclusive prosperity to all Nigerians, especially for our youths and women.”
The Minister highlighted the achievements in maritime governance, including Nigeria’s zero-incident piracy record for three years, the ratification of key international protocols, and strides in port modernisation. These, he noted, have set a strong foundation for the policy’s success.
He also reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to tackling illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which threatens the nation’s fisheries and aquatic ecosystem.
“A robust National Policy will ensure that we address these issues through a comprehensive framework that aligns with international best practices while safeguarding our marine resources for future generations,” he added.
The policy draft, which was subjected to stakeholder validation at the workshop, encompasses key components, including legal and institutional framework, trade and shipping, fisheries and aquaculture, marine abiotic resources, marine innovation and technology, and cross-cutting issues such as safety, security, and sustainability.
