Nigeria eyes €59m EU ocean fund to fight IUU fishing, protect coastal livelihoods

Nigeria has expressed readiness to leverage the €59 million West Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme (WASOP) to strengthen efforts against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and promote sustainable management of the country’s marine resources.

Adegboyega Oyetola, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, disclosed this in Abuja during a meeting with Gautier Mignot, European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, where both parties reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation on maritime security and sustainable ocean governance.

According to a statement signed by Bolaji Akinola, Special Adviser to the Minister, Oyetola commended the European Union for its longstanding partnership with Nigeria, particularly its support for maritime stability in the Gulf of Guinea, a region considered critical to global shipping and regional economic development.

The minister described the West Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme as a timely intervention that would strengthen coordinated action against illegal fishing, improve ocean governance and encourage sustainable exploitation of marine resources across West Africa.

He noted that Nigeria is eager to participate fully in the programme to attract technical and financial support that will enhance enforcement capacity and advance the country’s blue economy agenda.

Oyetola warned that illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing continues to pose a major threat to marine ecosystems and coastal livelihoods, stressing that the practice is depleting fish stocks, undermining food security and weakening the economic well-being of fishing communities.

“Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a direct threat to national security, food sovereignty, and the survival of our coastal communities. We cannot afford to stand by and watch our marine ecosystems be depleted and economic livelihoods eroded.

He added that Nigeria is calling for stronger international collaboration, backed by robust monitoring systems and uncompromising enforcement measures, to dismantle illegal fishing networks and safeguard the nation’s territorial waters.

“We are calling for an era of stronger international collaboration, backed by aggressive monitoring and uncompromised enforcement systems, to permanently dismantle these illicit operations and safeguard our waters,” he said.

The minister also highlighted ongoing reforms in the maritime sector under the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, which prioritises innovation, private sector participation and sustainable development of ocean resources.

According to him, the reforms have already yielded improvements in port operations, logistics efficiency and maritime security, while efforts are underway to expand maritime infrastructure and improve Nigeria’s competitiveness in global trade.

Oyetola further urged development partners to broaden support beyond anti-piracy initiatives to include efforts aimed at tackling environmental crimes, human trafficking and illegal fishing through a more integrated regional approach.

He specifically sought increased technical assistance from the European Union in areas such as surveillance technology, fisheries monitoring and enforcement capacity to strengthen Nigeria’s ability to curb IUU fishing activities in the Gulf of Guinea.

Earlier, Mignot reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to strengthening maritime cooperation with Nigeria and supporting regional efforts aimed at achieving safer and more sustainable oceans.

He highlighted the €59 million West Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme, a major EU-funded initiative designed to promote integrated ocean governance, sustainable fisheries management and the protection of coastal and marine ecosystems across West African countries.

According to the ambassador, the programme will improve coordination among coastal states, strengthen enforcement mechanisms and support the development of a more inclusive and sustainable blue economy throughout the region.