By Abbas Nazil
Coastal states in Nigeria have urged the federal government and relevant authorities to accelerate the harmonization of maritime laws, including the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act, to ensure more effective enforcement and boost maritime safety.
The call was made under the umbrella of the Nigerian International Coastal Border Platform, which includes Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ogun, Ondo, and Lagos states.
At the end of its inaugural summit in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the platform’s chairman and Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, presented a ten-point communique stressing the urgent need for awareness campaigns on maritime safety and security.
According to the platform, greater awareness will promote compliance with both national and international maritime laws and help Nigeria maximize opportunities in the blue economy.
The group also recommended allocating a percentage of revenue from maritime taxes and crude oil exports to coastal security funding.
It called for the creation of a community-based surveillance and intelligence-sharing system to strengthen coastal security operations and for investment in maritime transport services to boost economic activity between coastal communities and neighbouring countries along the Atlantic Ocean.
The communique further emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy maritime environment and improving maritime border governance to combat pollution, safeguard mangroves, and prevent environmental degradation that could lead to insecurity and economic hardship.
It urged authorities to take advantage of the African Integrated Border Governance Strategy and the African Continental Free Trade Area to promote cross-border trade.
Recommendations also included integrating climate change resilience into maritime border policies, increasing social infrastructure in coastal communities, and establishing a cross-border engagement platform between Nigerian coastal communities and neighbouring countries.
Declaring the summit open, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, praised the initiative, noting that Nigeria’s coastal states face significant challenges that must be addressed collectively.
Delta State Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, expressed optimism that the platform’s work would improve border governance and help resolve disputes along coastal boundaries.
Other speakers at the summit, including Akwa Ibom Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, Ogun State Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, National Boundary Commission Director General, Surv. Adamu Adaji, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogana, and legal scholar Professor Enefiok Essien, highlighted the economic and security benefits of effective coastal border management.
They agreed that coordinated action, law harmonization, and resource allocation will be critical in addressing the threats and opportunities within Nigeria’s maritime domain.
