President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday announced a new security and economic framework for the maritime industry and directed officials of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) to conduct nationwide security diagnostics targeting port reforms and maritime expansion.
The new framework is aimed at unlocking Nigeria’s vast marine and aquatic resources under the blue economy, which he described as one of the country’s most critical sectors for national transformation.
The President also directed all relevant ministries, departments and agencies to immediately review and implement recommendations from NIPSS’ comprehensive study on blue economy development.
Speaking during a Presidential Parley with participants of Senior Executive Course 47 of NIPSS at the Presidential Villa, the President, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said the administration is committed to converting Nigeria’s maritime potential into a major driver of economic diversification, job creation and long-term prosperity.
According to him, “The blue economy offers a strategic pathway for diversifying our revenue base, creating sustainable employment and revitalising the ecosystems that sustain national development. If properly harnessed, this sector could become an anchor of shared prosperity for generations.”
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The President earlier welcomed the findings of the NIPSS study on Blue Economy and Sustainable Development in Nigeria, describing the document as a “timely resource that outlines the opportunities we must seize, the challenges we must confront and the policies we must refine.”
He praised the institute for sustaining what he called its tradition of analytical rigour, creativity and patriotic duty.
Tinubu, highlighting Nigeria’s marine endowments, including an 853-kilometre coastline, rich fisheries, extensive inland waterways and a strategic location within the Gulf of Guinea, said these assets have placed the country in a strong position to build new growth avenues, adding that the “opportunities lie within our grasp if we act with discipline and intentionality.”
He also revealed that his administration is prioritising aquaculture expansion, port and maritime corridor modernisation, coastal tourism, marine biotechnology and renewable ocean energy.
He noted that establishing the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy marked a critical step toward improving port management systems, strengthening maritime security operations and enabling private-sector growth.
However, he acknowledged that more work lies ahead and directed all relevant ministries, departments and agencies to study and begin preparing to implement the NIPSS recommendations.
The President stressed that economic ambitions in the blue economy cannot be realised without a safe and stable environment. While piracy has reduced through the Deep Blue Project, he warned that oil theft, illegal fishing, smuggling, vandalism and kidnapping continue to undermine national revenues and investor confidence.
“These threats are real, and this administration is taking decisive steps to address them,” he said.
He added that the President has assigned NIPSS an expanded national security mandate, directing the institute to conduct a nationwide security diagnostic and develop actionable recommendations to guide reforms in Nigeria’s security architecture.
“The policy paper shall be submitted to my office within an agreed timeline, and it will receive the utmost attention,” he assured.
Tinubu described NIPSS as “the intellectual engine of our national transformation” and urged the scholars to remain bold, solution-driven and grounded in Nigeria’s realities.
Earlier, Ayo Omotayo, Director General of NIPSS, thanked President Tinubu for the support the institute has received. He also appreciated Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, for providing funding for SEC 47.
Omotayo noted that the team visited several Nigerian states and 14 countries outside Nigeria, and had come to the Presidential Villa to present their findings titled: “Blue Economy and Sustainable Development in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities.”
Highlighting the contents of the report, Murkar Dauda said the Federal Government is already addressing systemic gaps in the blue economy, and commended the President for his visionary leadership in driving economic reforms.
Among other issues, the report identified challenges of governance, institutional coordination and policy coherence, as well as infrastructure that falls below global standards. It also emphasised the opportunities available to Nigeria.
“Fisheries and aquaculture remain strong entry points for Nigeria,” the report stated, advising that diversifying revenue sources would unlock new earnings for the country.
In its recommendations, the Federal Government was advised to launch a national fisheries expansion programme, leveraging public-private investments to increase fish production from the current 1.2 million metric tonnes to 10 million metric tonnes within two years.
The report further recommended expanding the revenue base of the marine and blue economy sector and developing a comprehensive marine and blue economy financing framework.
Additionally, it stressed the need for the Federal Government to review and harmonise all legal, policy and institutional frameworks governing the marine and blue economy; establish an innovative marine and blue economy skills, job creation and social inclusion framework; and enhance the safety and security of inland waterways, among others.
