The federal government is putting arrangements in place to develop a national policy for the Marine and Blue Economy to drive the development of the marine sector.
Declaring open a stakeholders validation session held in Lagos on Tuesday, Adegboyega Oyetola, minister of Marine and Blue Economy, said developing a national policy on Marine and Blue Economy in Nigeria is essential for creating the Nigerian maritime sector.
Oyetola said a national policy would create a sustainable pathway for economic growth in fisheries, aquaculture, renewable energy, tourism, and seabed mining while ensuring environmental sustainability.
He said a robust national policy is needed to address challenges in the sector, including environmental degradation and illegal activities such as Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
“A national policy will address these issues through a comprehensive framework that aligns with international best practices while safeguarding our marine resources for future generations.
“Nigeria has achieved notable progress in maritime governance, including the ratification and domestication of international protocols and conventions. These measures have strengthened our safety and security framework, resulting in a remarkable three-year period with zero incidents of piracy in our waters,” Oyetola explained.
He decried that the recurring boat mishaps underscore the pressing need for immediate action.
The national policy seeks to implement comprehensive strategies to ensure the safety of all waterways.
Challenges such as the recent spate of boat mishaps demand urgent attention, but the new policy will establish comprehensive measures to enhance safety across Nigerian waterways.
“As we develop this policy, the Ministry remains committed to repositioning Nigeria as a dominant player in the regional and global marine and blue economy. We are also pursuing Nigeria’s candidacy for election to Category C of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), which underscores our determination to strengthen our voice in global maritime governance,” Oyetola said.
Earlier, Olufemi Oloruntola, permanent secretary of the Ministry, said that the validation workshop is a key step in shaping the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy—a framework designed to address Nigeria’s specific needs and aspirations while embracing sustainable development principles.
“It provides an opportunity for stakeholders to review, refine, and enrich the draft policy through a participatory and inclusive approach,” he said.
The draft policy, which consists of nine parts, offers an elaborate overview of the country’s marine and blue economic endowments and their current state.
“It affirms our mandate, vision, and mission, setting the stage for the policy’s objectives and aspirations. It further dissects these aspirations into five broad parts of legal and institutional framework; maritime transport, trade, and shipping; fisheries and aquaculture; marine abiotic resources; and marine innovation and technology.
“It also identifies a range of cross-cutting issues and concludes with an assessment of stakeholders to support the implementation structure. Overall, it is a comprehensive document,” he added.
Meanwhile, Funmi Folorunsho, secretary general of African Shipowners Association, said the engagement with stakeholders is vital to formulating government policies.
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