Why Nigeria Must Prioritize Blue Economy Above All Other Sectors

Why Nigeria Must Prioritize Blue Economy Above All Other Sectors

      DR. CHIKA CHUKWUDI 

At a time when Nigeria is urgently seeking sustainable pathways to economic stability, poverty reduction, and mass job creation, it has become increasingly clear that the nation must rethink its development priorities. While agriculture, oil and gas, technology, and manufacturing all hold value, none offers the scale of untapped opportunity that lies within Nigeria’s blue economy and maritime sector.

It is time for the Federal Government to invest more aggressively in the blue economy than any other sector; not as an experiment, but as a strategic national imperative.

A Sector with Vast Untapped Potential

Nigeria is geographically positioned as a maritime powerhouse. With over 850 kilometers of Atlantic coastline and access to the Gulf of Guinea, the country sits on one of the busiest maritime routes in Africa. Additionally, Nigeria is blessed with extensive inland waterways, including the River Niger and River Benue systems, as well as numerous lakes and dams.

Yet, despite these natural advantages, the maritime sector contributes far below its potential to national GDP. Ports remain under-optimized, inland waterways underutilized, fisheries underdeveloped, and coastal tourism largely unexplored.

A nation surrounded by water should not be surrounded by economic stagnation.

Job Creation at Unmatched Scale

No other sector has the capacity to generate employment across such a wide spectrum of skill levels as the blue economy. From artisanal fisheries to industrial aquaculture, from shipbuilding and repairs to maritime logistics, from port management to marine biotechnology, the opportunities span both formal and informal sectors.

Unlike capital-intensive industries that absorb limited skilled labor, the maritime sector can employ millions—fishermen, boat builders, marine engineers, dockworkers, environmental scientists, processors, exporters, and entrepreneurs.

Investing in fisheries and aquaculture alone could significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on fish importation while creating rural jobs. Developing shipbuilding and maintenance hubs would stimulate industrial growth. Expanding coastal tourism would empower local communities.

If properly harnessed, the blue economy can become Nigeria’s largest employer of labor.

A Powerful Tool for Poverty Alleviation

Poverty in Nigeria is most severe in rural and coastal communities. Ironically, these communities sit closest to abundant aquatic resources. By investing in modern fishing techniques, cold chain logistics, processing facilities, and export frameworks, the government can raise incomes at the grassroots level.

The blue economy directly connects natural resources to livelihoods. It allows small-scale operators to participate in global value chains. It empowers women in fish processing and marketing. It supports youth entrepreneurship in aquaculture and marine services.

Few sectors distribute wealth as inclusively as the maritime ecosystem.

Economic Diversification Beyond Oil

For decades, Nigeria’s economic health has fluctuated with global oil prices. The volatility of crude markets has repeatedly exposed the risks of mono-product dependence. Meanwhile, countries that invested heavily in maritime trade and ocean-based industries have built resilient economies.

The global shipping industry drives over 80 percent of world trade by volume. Nigeria, as Africa’s most populous nation, should be a dominant maritime hub; not merely a participant.

Strategic investment in port modernization, maritime security, indigenous shipping lines, and marine renewable energy can generate foreign exchange earnings, attract international investors, and reduce capital flight.

Diversification is no longer optional; it is survival. And the blue economy offers the strongest foundation for that transition.

Strengthening National Security and Regional Influence

Beyond economics, maritime investment strengthens national sovereignty. Improved naval capacity, port efficiency, and maritime surveillance reduce piracy, illegal fishing, and resource theft in the Gulf of Guinea.

A strong maritime economy enhances Nigeria’s leadership role in West Africa and positions the country as a gateway for regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.

Catalyzing Industrial Growth and Infrastructure Development

Heavy investment in the maritime sector triggers multiplier effects across the economy. Shipyards require steel, engineering services, and technical expertise. Ports demand road and rail connectivity. Fisheries require cold storage, packaging, and logistics systems.

Every naira invested in maritime infrastructure stimulates broader economic activity.

Unlike sectors that operate in isolation, the blue economy integrates transportation, manufacturing, trade, energy, tourism, and environmental management into one interconnected growth engine.

A Long-Term, Sustainable Growth Model

When managed responsibly, marine and aquatic resources are renewable. Sustainable fisheries, offshore wind energy, eco-tourism, and marine biotechnology offer growth without exhausting natural capital.

With proper regulation and environmental safeguards, Nigeria can build a blue economy that generates prosperity today without compromising future generations.

A Call for Bold Policy Action

The question is not whether Nigeria should invest in the blue economy. The question is whether Nigeria can afford not to.

Prioritizing maritime education, strengthening maritime institutions, expanding coastal infrastructure, supporting indigenous shipping, and financing aquaculture enterprises should form the core of national economic planning.

The blue economy is not just another sector, it is a sleeping giant. And if awakened through deliberate policy and sustained investment, it can alleviate poverty, generate millions of jobs, stabilize foreign exchange earnings, and secure Nigeria’s economic future.

Nigeria’s prosperity lies not only beneath its soil, but upon its waters.

The time to act is now.

By Chika Chukwudi Author of Blue Economy: Gateway to a Sustainable Future and a Staff of the (Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA)

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Customs: Apapa Area Command Strengthens Synergy with Nigerian Navy

Customs: Apapa Area Command Strengthens Synergy with Nigerian Navy

Bisi Akingbade 

The Customs Area Controller, CAC, Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, has paid a courtesy visit to the Flag Officer Commanding, FOC, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Abdullahi Mustapha, to deepen operational collaboration in line with the Three (3) policy thrusts of Consolidation, Collaboration and Innovation of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, PhD.

Comptroller Oshoba stated during  the courtesy visit that  "I resolved to consolidate on the gains already achieved and improve the existing relationship between Apapa Command and the Nigerian Navy within this axis.” 

On collaboration, according to the press release issued by the Chief Superintendent of Customs Public Relations Officer, Apapa Area Command, 

Isah Sulaiman, Comptroller Oshoba 

noted that modern border management requires agencies to work in tandem, adding: “While Customs is known for trade facilitation and revenue generation, we also perform critical security functions. To achieve this mandate, we must collaborate with the military, the mother of security.” On innovation, he added: “Innovation is doing things differently to achieve better results and strengthening inter-agency cooperation is part of that approach.”

He appreciated the Navy for securing Nigeria’s waters, stating: “No vessel can come into the country without safe waters. We commend you for keeping the maritime environment secure.” He also solicited sustained support along the Apapa port corridor to ensure seamless cargo movement.

In his response, Rear Admiral Mustapha acknowledged the longstanding partnership between both agencies, emphasizing: “Port security is about inter-agency and coordination. Without security, there is no development.”

Rear Admiral Mustapha commended the Service under CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi for its performance, noting: “The Customs has done exceptionally well in blocking revenue leakages and surpassing national revenue targets. Continue what you are doing; with more revenue, there will be more infrastructure and social safety network for the country.”

The FOC assured the Command of improved and seamless cooperation in securing the maritime domain and supporting national economic growth.

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SIFAX Foundation Trains 90 Lagos Students on AI, Technology skills

SIFAX Foundation Trains 90 Lagos Students on AI, Technology skills

Bis Akingbade 

The Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation, the CSR arm of the SIFAX Group, in partnership with the World Bank, has trained over ninety students of the State Senior Secondary School, Oyewole, Agege in Orile Agege Local Government Area, Lagos State, as part of its series of ongoing Community Connections Campaign Projects in Nigeria.

The training, aimed at empowering students with practical technology skills to help them improve their education, secure jobs, and become self-employed in the long term, covered various areas, including computer literacy, machine learning, and the use of Artificial Intelligence. 

Representatives were selected from different classes across the school, with the hope that they would be able to transfer the skills acquired to their colleagues. 

According to Mrs. Foluke Ademokun, the Executive Coordinator of the foundation, “this initiative is part of a series of efforts to address the issue of youth unemployment and skills gap in the country and it’s expected to benefit not only the students but also the community at large, as the students would be able to apply the skills acquired to improve their lives and contribute to the economic development of their communities”

Responding on behalf of the school management, the Vice Principal of the school, Mrs Sherifat Ajala, appreciated and commended AAAF for excellent facilitation and the opportunity given to the students to interact with the best minds who facilitated at the training. 

“On behalf of the school management and all these students, I want to say a big thank you to Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation and their sponsor, the SIFAX Group for the good works that they have done in the lives of our students and for the wonderful gift. May the Lord Almighty continue to bless you”, she said.

Goodluck Innocent and Moses Faith, two of the students who participated in the training were rewarded for good class participation and thereafter expressed gratitude on behalf of their colleagues to AAAF and SIFAX Group for providing them with the opportunity to acquire skills that would enhance their future employability. 

At the end of the training session, the school was presented with the gift of a projector, laptop and projector screen as it is always done in the previous schools where similar programmes have been organised.

Other schools who have benefited from previous empowerments include; Community Grammar School, Zion Pepe, Ondo state; Osolu Senior Secondary School, Badagry; Pobuna Senior Grammar School, Epe and Baptist Model College, Ile-Epo. Others are Ijaiye-Ojokoro Senior High School, Ifako ijaiye and Unity senior college, Alimosho all in Lagos state, which brings the total number of empowered students to nearly 600

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Nigeria to Pilot Regional Fishing Vessel Register in Gulf of Guinea - Oyetola

Nigeria to Pilot Regional Fishing Vessel Register in Gulf of Guinea - Oyetola 

CAPTION

L-R: Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and Chairman of the Conference of Ministers of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), His Excellency Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, CON; FCWC Secretary-General, Antoine Gaston Djihinto, and the Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mr. Wellington Omoragbon, when Djihinto led the FCWC secretariat staff on a working visit to the Minister in his office in Abuja, recently.

Bisi Akingbade 

The Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and Chairman of the Conference of Ministers of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea, FCWC, His Excellency Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, 

said Nigeria has agreed to serve as the pilot country for the formal implementation of the Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels in West Africa, a move the government says reflects its belief that credible leadership must be matched by practical action to combat illegal fishing and strengthen marine governance across the Gulf of Guinea.

He made this disclosure during a high-level meeting with the organisation’s Secretary-General and secretariat staff in Abuja. He said Nigeria’s decision to host the pilot phase of the Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels demonstrates its resolve to translate regional leadership into measurable outcomes for sustainable fisheries management.

He said the proposed Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels will create a verified database of industrial fishing vessels authorised to operate within the maritime zones of FCWC member states, covering both foreign and national fleets. The system is designed to improve transparency, accountability and cross-border cooperation in a region heavily affected by illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. 

This initiative, he said, builds on a roadmap endorsed by member states and reaffirmed in the Monrovia Declaration, which set out steps for establishing the register as a shared governance tool across West Central Africa.

Dr. Oyetola said Nigeria expected the pilot phase to test feasibility, identify operational gaps and generate practical lessons for broader regional rollout. He pledged that Nigeria would use its experience to guide and support other member states once implementation expands, stressing that collective action was essential to protect fisheries resources and livelihoods in the Gulf of Guinea.

"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 initiative represents a major step forward in strengthening transparency, accountability and cooperation in fisheries governance across our shared waters," he said. 

The minister 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, to deter illegal fishing.

Dr. Oyetola also disclosed that Nigeria’s draft National Plan of Action on illegal fishing was being reviewed and updated following the transfer of fisheries oversight to the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, underscoring the country’s determination to address illicit fishing activities.

He proposed deeper institutional engagement with the FCWC, including a high-level Nigerian mission to the organisation’s secretariat and regional monitoring centre, as well as collaboration on harmonising food safety and fisheries regulatory standards across member states to boost trade and consumer protection.

In a press release issued by the Special Adviser to the Honourable Minister 

Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy  Reaffirming Nigeria’s, Dr. Bolaji Akinola, highlighted that Dr. Oyetola said his tenure as Chairman of the FCWC Conference of Ministers would focus on practical outcomes, stronger institutions and sustainable use of ocean resources. He thanked the FCWC member states for their continued partnership, describing the pilot vessel register as a defining step towards transparent and accountable fisheries governance in West Africa. 

Speaking earlier, the FCWC Secretary-General, Antoine Gaston Djihinto, commended the Minister for his commitment to addressing illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and also for boosting fish production in the country. He also thanked the Ministry for hosting an "outstanding and highly commendable" FCWC Conference in Lagos in November 2025. 

The Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) is an intergovernmental organisation established in 2007 to facilitate regional cooperation in fisheries management among its six member states: Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Togo. Headquartered in Tema, Ghana, the FCWC works to ensure the sustainable development and optimal use of shared marine resources while aggressively combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the sub-region. Its core activities include harmonising fisheries legislation, enhancing monitoring and surveillance, and promoting the growth of a sustainable blue economy to support the livelihoods of small-scale fishers in the sub-region. 

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CUSTOMS: AEO PROGRAMME RECORDS ₦362.79 BILLION REVENUE GROWTH AS SERVICE COMMENDS VOLUNTARY REMITTANCES, SUSPENDS DEFAULTING OPERATOR

CUSTOMS: AEO PROGRAMME RECORDS ₦362.79 BILLION REVENUE GROWTH AS SERVICE COMMENDS VOLUNTARY REMITTANCES, SUSPENDS DEFAULTING OPERATOR

   CGC, BASHIR ADEWALE ADENIYI 

Bisi Akingbade 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) wishes to inform the public of the significant revenue and trade facilitation milestone achieved under the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, with revenue increasing from ₦1.222 trillion before certification to ₦1.585 trillion after certification, reflecting a growth of ₦362.79 billion (29.68%) for the 51 AEO-certified entities as at 27 October 2025. The Programme also contributed 21.77% to NCS’s total revenue collection of ₦7.281 trillion in 2025, while customs duties paid rose by 85.66% due to enhanced compliance and increased volumes of legitimate trade.

According to AEO Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Report, the Programme achieved an average compliance rate of 85.45%, with the highest at 100% and the lowest at 60%. The evaluation applied rigorous methodologies to ensure objectivity, transparency, and alignment with the World Customs Organisation (WCO) SAFE Framework of Standards and the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.

In the area of trade facilitation, AEO participation reduced average cargo clearance time from 168 hours to 41 hours, representing a 75.60% time saving. Company operating costs declined by 57.2%, while demurrage payments dropped by 90%, limiting capital flight to foreign-owned port service providers and strengthening foreign exchange retention. Overall trade efficiency improved by 77.11% through digitalisation, simplified procedures, and targeted risk management.

The Service commends Coleman Technical Industries Limited, WACOT Rice Limited, ROMSON Oil Field Services Ltd, WACOT Limited, Chi Farms Ltd, CORMART Nigeria Ltd, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited and MTN Nigeria Communications Plc for a cumulative voluntary remittance of over a billion naira into the Federation Account following their self-initiated transaction review and disclosure. These actions reflect the strengthening of post-clearance audit mechanisms and a growing culture of voluntary compliance within the trading community.

Notwithstanding these gains, the Service identified a compliance breach involving a recently certified AEO company that engaged in false declaration of consignments contrary to programme obligations. Consequently, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, PhD, MFR, directed the immediate suspension of the company’s AEO status in accordance with the AEO Guidelines, the WCO SAFE Framework of Standards, and Section 112 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.

The NCS reiterates that the AEO Programme is founded on trust, transparency, and continuous compliance. While compliant operators will continue to benefit from expedited clearance and reduced inspection, appropriate sanctions will be applied where violations are established. The Service remains resolute in safeguarding national revenue, facilitating legitimate trade, and preserving the integrity and global credibility of Nigeria’s AEO framework.

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NIMASA, NUPRC MEET TO IMPROVE ON INDUSTRY REGULATION

NIMASA, NUPRC MEET TO IMPROVE ON INDUSTRY REGULATION

Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, and Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s investment climate through enhanced inter-agency collaboration.

This formed the core of discussions during a working visit by the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, to the Commission Chief Executive of NUPRC, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, and her management team at the commission’s corporate headquarters in Abuja.

Both agencies emphasized the importance of improving the ease of doing business in Nigeria while optimizing accruable benefits to the Federal Government.

The meeting underscored the need for coordinated regulatory efforts to eliminate operational bottlenecks, promote investor confidence, and ensure efficient revenue generation across the maritime and oil and gas critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.

NIMASA’s mandate of promoting indigenous capacity in international shipping trade as well as prevention of marine pollution and control directly aligns with the responsibilities of NUPRC, which include ensuring compliance with regulations as they relate to upstream extraction activities, promoting investment and enforcing environmental/safety standards.

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Customs Launches Digital One-Stop-Shop to Cut Cargo Delays

Customs Launches Digital One-Stop-Shop to Cut Cargo Delays

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has launched a new digital One-Stop-Shop,  OSS, platform aimed at eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks at Nigeria’s ports and significantly reducing cargo clearance time to 48 hours.

Speaking at the ceremony held in Lagos the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the initiative as a major structural reform designed to modernise border operations and strengthen Nigeria’s trade competitiveness.

The Customs boss noted that the platform aligns with Nigeria’s broader business reforms under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, as well as global standards under the World Trade Organisation's Trade Facilitation Agreement, which estimates that efficient border reforms can cut trade costs in developing economies by over 14 percent.

He also announced that the Service is advancing toward a fully paperless customs environment, with the first phase of digital clearance and documentation processes scheduled for rollout by the end of the second quarter of 2026.

“This platform is a deliberate shift from fragmented interventions to coordinated governance, from discretion to data, and from isolated actions to collective responsibility,” Adeniyi stated. “Through this reform, we continue to build systems that support lawful trade, protect national interests, and serve the economy with professionalism and integrity.”

Also speaking at the event, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Tariff and Trade, Caroline Niagwan, said the OSS platform consolidates all risk interventions into a single electronic interface, streamlining multiple checks into a single digital umbrella.

“Today, the NCS is introducing the One-Stop-Shop digital platform, an innovative system designed to consolidate all risk interventions at the port into a single electronic interface,” she said. “We have listened to your feedback and recognised how multiple checkpoints and risk interventions affect business processes. Your involvement in this engagement is crucial to the success of this reform.”

A technical presentation by the Service’s Trade Facilitation Unit outlined strategies to reduce clearance time from an average of 21 days to about 48 hours, along with implementation plans and anticipated challenges.

Stakeholders at the engagement expressed strong support for the initiative, noting that the platform would facilitate legitimate trade. An interactive session also provided clarifications on operational procedures and expectations for the OSS rollout.

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