Tinubu Proposes Geophysical Data Partnership With China To Unlock Nigeria’s Marine Economy

President Bola Tinubu has invited the People’s Republic of China to partner with Nigeria through the deployment and exchange of geophysical data across the country’s nautical domain as part of efforts to unlock the vast potential of the marine and blue economy.

Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Office of the Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN in New York.

The statement followed a keynote address delivered by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, at the United Nations Sustainable Development Workshop on High-quality Development of the Marine Economy held in Beijing, China.

According to the Mission, Tinubu’s proposal places emphasis on strategic partnership, technology transfer and data-driven collaboration rather than traditional development assistance.

Ambassador Ibrahim, who represented the President at the workshop, said Nigeria intends to leverage geophysical intelligence, marine research and innovation to accelerate sustainable economic growth and position the country among the world’s leading blue economy nations.

He said the President’s invitation to China was anchored on the belief that access to geophysical and oceanographic data would create greater long-term economic value than dependence on foreign aid.

“President Bola Tinubu is offering China an open invitation for partnership through geophysical data and innovation rather than aid. The future prosperity of nations lies in harnessing the immense wealth of the oceans through knowledge, technology and strategic cooperation,” Ibrahim said.

The envoy commended China for its leadership in advancing the global blue economy and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation in maritime development.

He noted that the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy by the Tinubu administration demonstrates Nigeria’s determination to maximise the economic opportunities embedded in its maritime resources.

Ibrahim also urged the international community to embrace innovation, artificial intelligence, sustainable financing and stronger global partnerships to unlock the vast potential of the marine economy.

According to the statement, the ambassador advocated innovative financing mechanisms that would enable developing countries to build resilient blue economy infrastructure and promote sustainable ocean governance.

The Mission quoted him as reaffirming Nigeria’s readiness to work with China and other international partners in advancing a prosperous and sustainable global marine economy.

He concluded his address with a call for urgent action, declaring, “The future is here; doing nothing is  not an option.”