14 Years After, Nigeria Elected Into IMO Council

Nigeria has been elected into Category C of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council for the 2026–2027 biennium.

The election, held during the IMO General Assembly in London, marks Nigeria’s triumphant return to the Council after a 14-year absence, restoring the nation to global reckoning among the comity of maritime nations.

Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, who led Nigeria’s campaign, said the victory crowns over 12 months of intensive diplomacy shuttles, targeted engagements and sustained advocacy across various countries and maritime blocs.

Speaking moments after the results were declared, Dr Oyetola described Nigeria’s election as “a landmark endorsement of the renewed confidence the world has in Nigeria under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

According to him, “This victory is not just for Nigeria; it is a vote of confidence in our maritime reforms, our security efforts in the Gulf of Guinea, and the bold vision of President Bola Tinubu to unlock the full potential of the blue economy.”

Special adviser to the minister on media, Dr Bolaji Akinola said in a statement that Oyotola emphasised that the election represents a major boost to Nigeria’s profile in global maritime governance.

“Our return to the IMO Council after fourteen years signals that Nigeria is back — stronger, more strategic and more determined to contribute meaningfully to shaping the future of global shipping, maritime safety and sustainable ocean governance. We worked tirelessly, travelling across continents, building bridges and reaffirming Nigeria’s readiness to take up this responsibility,” he said.

Dr Oyetola expressed profound appreciation to President Tinubu for providing the full support that made the campaign successful despite the highly competitive nature of the election.

He also thanked the international maritime community for believing in Nigeria, affirming that the results demonstrate broad trust in the reforms being undertaken by the Tinubu administration.

With this election, Nigeria joins 19 other nations in Category C – countries recognised for their special interests in maritime transport and navigation and selected to ensure balanced geographical representation within the IMO Council. The elected states in Category C are: Bahamas, Belgium, Cyprus, Chile, Cyprus, Egypt, Finland, Indonesia, Jamaica, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and South Africa.

Countries elected into Category B, representing nations with the largest interests in international seaborne trade, are Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates.

Category A, comprising the world’s leading providers of international shipping services, saw the election of China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Norway, Panama, Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Nigeria’s return to the Council is expected to bring significant benefits to the country’s maritime and blue economy sectors, strengthening international partnerships, enhancing access to technical support, boosting investor confidence and reinforcing Nigeria’s leadership role in the Gulf of Guinea.