President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged African leaders to prioritise the blue economy, stating that the blue economy holds the key to Africa’s prosperity.
Speaking at the 43rd Annual Council of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) in Lagos on Monday, Tinubu underlined the critical role of the blue economy in the collective prosperity of African nations, emphasising that the sector holds immense potential for the entire continent.
The President, who was represented by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, noted that Africa’s blue economy presents the continent with untapped opportunities for growth and development.
He highlighted the interconnectedness of African countries through their maritime endowments even as he discussed the formation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, which he said underlined the Nigeria’s commitment to unlocking the potential of the blue economy.
Tinubu also said that the creation of a port community system, which serves as a precursor to the implementation of the National Single Window, is an essential tool in streamlining port operations.
“As a government that believes in the necessity of infusing information technology into public management to aid transparency and ease business processes, we are giving the Nigerian Ports Authority all the backing necessary to fast-track the operationalisation of the port community system,” he said.
The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello Koko, while speaking earlier, said, “The opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) are substantial. We must work together to eliminate trade barriers and harness these opportunities for the collective prosperity of our respective national economies.”
He commended PMAWCA for its role in promoting ports cooperation and expressed NPA’s commitment to partnership and support for policies and action steps that will be discussed during the conference.
