Oyetola Becomes West Central Gulf Of Guinea Chairman

The minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing across the West Central Gulf of Guinea (GoG), describing it as a major threat to marine sustainability and regional stability.

Oyetola made the declaration on Thursday in Lagos, following his election as chairman of the Conference of Ministers of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC).

The high-level regional meeting, themed ‘Securing Our Ocean Future: People, Resources, and Commitments,’ brought together ministers and senior officials from FCWC Member States — Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Togo — alongside representatives of regional institutions, international partners, and maritime experts.

“Together, we must put an end to the scourge of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in our waters,” Oyetola declared.

He added that, “This menace robs our nations of economic opportunities, threatens our 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 that demands political will, coordinated enforcement, and sustained partnerships across borders.

Earlier in his keynote address to the Conference, Dr Oyetola had welcomed delegates on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, 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.

He further called for strengthened joint patrols, harmonised regulations, real-time intelligence sharing, and coordinated enforcement mechanisms among FCWC Member States. “At the regional level, cooperation remains our greatest strength,” he observed. “The outcomes of this conference must translate into actionable measures that strengthen ocean security, enhance economic opportunities, and safeguard the prosperity of future generations.”