Two weeks ago, the minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, launched the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy in Lagos. YUSUF BABALOLA writes about how the launch will reshape the sector for competitiveness.
For the first time in many years, the nation’s maritime sector has something it can hold on to and call the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, which would be used to grow the industry’s potential.
The Policy, which finally came to being after so many years, would not only accelerate the sector’s growth but would also ensure the competitiveness of the sector among its contemporaries in the country.
The 10-year National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy from 2025-2034 is designed with a robust implementation plan to harness Nigeria’s vast marine resources to drive economic growth.
The policy approval came at a time when global interest in the blue economy is surging and the comprehensive policy, anchored in a robust implementation framework, was designed to harness Nigeria’s extensive marine resources, including over 853 kilometres of coastline, as a key driver of sustainable economic growth, environmental stewardship, and job creation.
However, presenting the policy to stakeholders in the sector, Oyetola emphasised that the creation of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy represents one of the boldest and most forward-thinking reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He described the Federal Executive Council’s approval of the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy as a major turning point, offering a structured framework to unlock value across Nigeria’s vast marine ecosystems, including port infrastructure, maritime security, aquaculture, coastal tourism, ocean governance, marine biotechnology, renewable energy, and climate resilience.
Oyetola noted that the forum was not ceremonial, but rather a practical working session designed to craft an implementation roadmap with clear institutional responsibilities and measurable deliverables.
He stressed the need for inter-agency coordination, accountability mechanisms, and capacity building, affirming that citizen engagement and shared ownership are essential to the policy’s success.
Drawing on global trends, he argued that inclusive policymaking yields stronger development outcomes, particularly in complex and interconnected sectors such as the marine economy.
The minister highlighted key milestones achieved by the ministry since its inception, including a 75 per cent performance score in 2024 as evaluated by the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit (CRDCU) under the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination. This performance, achieved despite institutional challenges, places the Ministry among the top-performing MDAs nationwide.
He commended the efforts of the ministry’s Delivery Task Teams and urged them to sustain the momentum in pursuing excellence.
The minister also reiterated the government’s commitment to revitalising indigenous shipping capacity through the revival of a National Carrier under a public-private partnership model.
The minister spoke on the Ministry’s digitisation drive, which has resulted in consistent growth in revenue and operational efficiency across agencies.
He said procedural bottlenecks are being addressed, and investment is rising in bonded terminals, dry ports, inland logistics corridors, and warehousing.
Applauding the formulation of the policy, the Nigerian Ports Consultative Council (NPCC) argued that the policy is a transformative blueprint that promises a future where maritime assets become pivotal to job creation, inclusive growth, and sustainable development.
The council’s president, Bolaji Sunmola, however, informed the ministry that they must ensure that the policy translates into visible action, measurable outcomes, and prosperity for Nigerians, especially industry players.
According to Sunmola, the government must intensify its commitment to local content enforcement for sector growth.
“The National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy is a transformative blueprint, promising a future where maritime assets become pivotal to job creation, inclusive growth, and sustainable development. However, a policy—no matter how comprehensive—must translate into visible action, measurable outcomes, and prosperity for our people.
“We must intensify our commitment to local content enforcement. Nigeria loses over nine billion dollars annually due to under-enforcement of the Cabotage Act. This is an economic and patriotic emergency.
Our ports must now prioritise indigenous participation in shipping, terminal operations, and maritime services. National/indigenous companies must not just be present—they must be protected and empowered to lead.
“Second, despite the initiative by Customs, cargo dwell time in Nigerian ports is unacceptably high. This is a major deterrent to trade and a direct cost to the economy. Through digital reforms, port community systems, and continuous Customs modernisation, we must cut this down to acceptable international standards. Every hour saved at our ports brings us closer to global competitiveness.
“Third, infrastructure modernisation is critical. We must ensure that upgraded/modernised infrastructures are smart, green, and accessible. We also need to ensure that our inland connectivity—by rail, water and road—is seamless, to avoid the congestion trap of the past.
“Fourth, we must invest in people. Our young people, our dockworkers and seafarers, our maritime professionals. The policy must translate into skills development, scholarships, apprenticeships, and new career paths in logistics, digital operations, and port security. Human capital will define the future of our ports.”
Sunmola also urged the ministry to inaugurate a Port-Sector Blue Economy Taskforce within 60 days and pilot these reforms across both Western and Eastern ports with quarterly reviews and transparent performance metrics.
Furthermore, we must fix our governance framework. Duplication of agencies, overlapping mandates, and manual clearance processes must give way to a unified, efficient, and accountable system. The government agencies must lead the charge toward a single-window, 24/7 port community.”
Also speaking, the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIOTA) called for professionalism in the implementation of the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy to ensure the country harnesses its full potential in the sector.
In his words, CIOTA’s president, Dr. Segun Ochuko Obayendo, harped on continuous engagement as a crucial step towards harnessing the vast potential of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy.
Obayendo who was represented by the Institute’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Chizoba Anyika emphasised the importance of promoting professionalism and excellence in the sector.
He also enlightened stakeholders on the role of CIOTA Nigeria in promoting professionalism and sustainable mobility, aligning the Institute’s involvement in advancing Nigeria’s marine and blue economy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He, therefore, advised that capacity-building initiatives should be undertaken to ensure that personnel in the maritime sector have the necessary skills and expertise to implement the national policy effectively, encouraging innovation, research, and adaptation to industry trends and challenges as the need arises.
