By Abdullahi Lukman
Federal government is pursuing enhanced collaboration on blue economy development, marine conservation, and capacity building across West and Central Africa.
This was announced by Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, on June 9, 2025, as he represented President Bola Tinubu at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France.
Oyetola highlighted the critical role of partnerships between technical experts and institutions in advancing Africa’s blue economy.
He emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to sustainable ocean resource management and science-based, inclusive economic solutions for marine ecosystems.
The minister called for urgent coordinated global action to protect marine life and accelerate progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG-14), which focuses on oceans.
He urged increased funding and the expansion of marine protected areas to safeguard the planet’s largest ecosystem.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s dedication to international cooperation, Oyetola stressed the need to integrate marine science with policymaking and foster innovation and investment to build a resilient ocean economy.
