As Nigeria commemorates the second anniversary of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, one of the most transformative stories emerging from the corridors of governance is the extraordinary rise of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, a ministry birthed in August 2023 under the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Conceived to unlock the immense, untapped potential of Nigeria’s vast maritime domain, the ministry was not merely a bureaucratic innovation — it was a bold vision to reposition the country as a true maritime power. At the helm of this strategic portfolio is His Excellency Adegboyega Isiaka Oyetola, CON, a leader whose quiet efficiency and technocratic brilliance have begun to redefine the economic future of Nigeria’s coastal and inland waterways.
Before the establishment of the Ministry, Nigeria’s maritime assets — spanning over 850 kilometers of coastline and more than 10,000 kilometers of navigable inland waterways — languished beneath layers of fragmentation, inefficiency, and institutional inertia. Under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the creation of a standalone Ministry signaled a pivotal recognition: that the maritime sector could no longer be treated as peripheral but must become central to the nation’s economic diversification, industrial resurgence, and employment generation. The Blue Economy, encompassing sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and environmental sustainability, offers Nigeria a new frontier of prosperity — and under Minister Oyetola, it is being pursued with strategic clarity and tireless resolve.
One of the most symbolic achievements of the Ministry under Oyetola’s stewardship is the permanent resolution of the Apapa gridlock, a two-decade logistical nightmare that crippled port efficiency, fostered corruption, and eroded investor confidence. Through a combination of traffic management innovations, digital port access systems, and decisive dismantling of entrenched interests, the once-immovable congestion has been cleared. Lagos ports now breathe with restored vitality, marking a turning point in Nigeria’s maritime logistics ecosystem.
This infrastructural and operational renewal has been mirrored by a historic revenue performance. In just one year, revenue from agencies under the Ministry soared from ₦700.79 billion in 2023 to an unprecedented ₦1.39 trillion in 2024. This doubling of sectoral income reflects not only improved operational efficiency but also heightened transparency, regulatory enforcement, and strategic investment in revenue-generating assets. It also sends a strong message: that the maritime sector is no longer a dormant backwater, but a dynamic contributor to national economic resilience.
Equally transformative is the long-awaited activation of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF), a fund established by law over two decades ago to support Nigerian shipowners but which had remained inaccessible. Under Oyetola’s direction, the process of disbursement of the fund has now commenced, signaling a new dawn for indigenous maritime operators. Coupled with a firm policy to end arbitrary waivers granted to foreign shipping firms, this initiative marks a deliberate recalibration in favour of Nigerian maritime entrepreneurship, industrial participation, and economic sovereignty.
In a bold effort to deepen national shipping capacity, the Ministry also inaugurated the National Fleet Implementation Committee with a mandate to establish a private-sector-led national shipping line. This strategic move aims to capture a greater share of domestic and regional cargo currently monopolized by foreign vessels. It promises to create thousands of jobs, retain freight earnings within the country, and elevate Nigeria’s status as a maritime hub across West and Central Africa.
The future of the marine and blue economy is not only about ships and ports; it is also about people. Minister Oyetola has shown an uncommon commitment to building human capital in the sector by expanding the National Seafarers Development Programme to train 1,000 Nigerian youths annually in maritime professions. This initiative is preparing a new generation of seafarers, marine engineers, and logistics experts, equipping them with global-standard skills and opening access to international job markets.
In an equally people-centered intervention, the Ministry has commenced the distribution of 42,000 life jackets to waterway users across 12 states, a gesture aimed at enhancing safety, reducing fatalities, and instilling a culture of responsibility on Nigeria’s inland waterways. Niger, Bayelsa and Anambra States have already benefitted, with others soon to follow. It is a simple yet profound affirmation of the value of human life in public policy.
The welfare of maritime workers has also received unprecedented attention. In a landmark partnership with the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and the Shipping Agencies, Clearing and Forwarding Employers Association (SACFEA), facilitated by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, the Ministry has institutionalized a new minimum wage of ₦200,000 for maritime workers employed by SACFEA members. This breakthrough not only elevates living standards for thousands of workers but also stabilizes industrial relations in a historically restive sector.
Maritime security has been another arena of triumph. Through the consolidation of the Deep Blue Project, Nigeria has recorded zero piracy incidents within its territorial waters and the Gulf of Guinea for three consecutive years. This remarkable achievement has earned plaudits from the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and has led to Nigeria’s removal from the list of global maritime risk zones. This delisting has lowered insurance premiums, boosted investor confidence, and made Nigerian ports significantly more competitive in the region.
Reform is also evident in institutional processes. The planned automation of Nigeria’s ship registry by NIMASA will modernize vessel documentation, enhance transparency, and reduce the bureaucracy that previously deterred both local and foreign shipowners. This shift towards digital governance is laying the groundwork for a more agile and globally integrated maritime administration.
Meanwhile, the Federal Executive Council has approved the modernization of Nigeria’s Western ports — Apapa and Tin Can — with a 48-month completion timeline. Complementary upgrades are also being fast-tracked for the Eastern ports, with plans to deepen port drafts to 16–17 meters, enabling Nigeria to handle larger vessels and become a true transshipment hub. These infrastructural developments are projected to generate over 20,000 jobs while reducing the port inefficiencies that have long hampered industrial growth.
Oyetola’s vision extends to marine food security and sustainable fisheries. Through a strategic partnership with private investors, the Ministry is developing modern fish harbours and introducing satellite-based monitoring systems to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. The Ministry is also promoting sustainable aquaculture through the FAO-supported Fish4ACP programme, focusing on catfish value chains to enhance local production, improve nutritional outcomes, and reduce the country’s dependence on imported fish.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, one of the flagship infrastructure projects of the Tinubu administration, is being synergized with the blue economy strategy to stimulate marine tourism, coastal fisheries, and eco-tourism. This highway will not only connect communities but also connect them to opportunity, turning the Atlantic coastline into a corridor of enterprise.
All of these achievements have not gone unnoticed. The Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy was recently adjudged the Best Performing Ministry by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), an accolade that underscores its impactful governance, efficient service delivery, and alignment with national priorities.
As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu enters the third year of his presidency, the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has emerged as a lodestar of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Through the disciplined, strategic, and visionary leadership of Minister Adegboyega Oyetola, Nigeria is sailing confidently into a future where the blue economy is not just an idea, but a thriving engine of prosperity. From the once-crippling gridlock of Apapa to the far reaches of Nigeria’s inland waterways, from the depths of its seaports to the dreams of its aspiring youth, the tide has truly turned. And at the helm, Oyetola steers the ship with quiet precision — charting a course not just for the ministry, but for a more buoyant, inclusive, and prosperous Nigeria.