President Bola Tinubu has unveiled a new security and economic framework designed to harness Nigeria’s marine and aquatic resources under the emerging blue economy sector.
The President announced the plan on Wednesday during a Presidential Parley with participants of Senior Executive Course 47 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said the administration was committed to converting Nigeria’s maritime assets into key drivers of economic diversification, job creation and sustainable national prosperity.
According to him, the blue economy provides Nigeria with a viable pathway to expand its revenue base.
“The blue economy offers a strategic pathway for diversifying our revenue base, creating sustainable employment and revitalising the ecosystems that sustain national development,” he said.
“If properly harnessed, this sector could become an anchor of shared prosperity for generations.”
Tinubu welcomed the findings of the NIPSS study on Blue Economy and Sustainable Development in Nigeria, describing the report as timely.
He said the document captured “the opportunities we must seize, the challenges we must confront and the policies we must refine.”
The President commended NIPSS for sustaining what he called its “tradition of analytical rigour, creativity and patriotic duty” in addressing national policy issues.
He noted that Nigeria’s 853-kilometre coastline, rich fisheries, inland waterways and strategic location within the Gulf of Guinea offer immense potential for growth.
He listed aquaculture expansion, port modernisation, maritime corridor development, marine biotechnology, coastal tourism and renewable ocean energy as priority areas for the administration.
“These opportunities lie within our grasp if we act with discipline and intentionality,” he said.
Tinubu explained that the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy was part of government’s broader reform agenda to upgrade port operations, strengthen maritime security and stimulate private-sector participation.
He, however, said more work was required to consolidate the gains already made.
The President directed all relevant ministries, departments and agencies to immediately study and implement the recommendations contained in the NIPSS report.
He warned that economic gains in the sector would remain elusive without improved security across Nigeria’s maritime environment.
While acknowledging a reduction in piracy through the Deep Blue Project, he noted that oil theft, illegal fishing, smuggling, vandalism and kidnapping continued to threaten revenue and investor confidence.
“These threats are real, and this Administration is taking decisive steps to address them,” he said.
Tinubu also assigned NIPSS a new national security mandate.
He directed the institute to conduct a nationwide security diagnostic and develop actionable recommendations for reforming the country’s security architecture.
“The policy paper shall be submitted to my office within an agreed timeline, and it will receive the utmost attention,” he said.
The President described NIPSS as “the intellectual engine of our national transformation,” urging participants to remain bold and solution-driven.
Earlier, the Director-General of NIPSS, Prof. Ayo Omotayo, thanked President Tinubu for the support extended to the institute.
He also acknowledged the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, for funding the Senior Executive Course 47.
Omotayo said the team visited several Nigerian states and 14 countries to prepare their report titled *Blue Economy and Sustainable Development in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities*.
Col. Murkar Dauda, who presented highlights of the report, said the Federal Government was already addressing key gaps in the blue economy.
He commended the President for what he described as his visionary leadership in driving economic transformation.
The report identified challenges related to governance, institutional coordination, policy coherence and infrastructure deficits below global standards.
It also underscored opportunities within the sector, noting that “fisheries and aquaculture remain strong entry points for Nigeria.”
It recommended a national fisheries expansion programme to increase fish production from 1.2 metric tonnes to 10 metric tonnes within two years.
Other proposals included expanding the revenue base of the marine and blue economy sector and developing a comprehensive financing framework.
The report also advised government to harmonise all legal and policy frameworks, establish a marine and blue economy skills and job-creation structure, and strengthen safety and security on inland waterways.
