The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has pledged to uphold Nigeria’s zero piracy record on its waterways as the country prepares to celebrate World Maritime Day.
He highlighted the 2024 theme, “Navigating the Future: Safety First,” as a timely reflection of the current progress and challenges within Nigeria’s maritime sector.
World Maritime Day is observed annually to raise awareness about the significance of global shipping and other maritime activities, while also emphasising key initiatives of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
In a statement by the Minister’s spokesman, Ismail Omipidan, Oyetola noted that this year’s theme aligns with the IMO’s ongoing efforts to enhance maritime safety and security, as well as protect the marine environment.
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to building on the successes of the Deep Blue Project, which aims to ensure the security of the country’s maritime domain.
Launched by the Nigerian Government and spearheaded by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Deep Blue Project was developed to address Nigeria’s complex maritime security challenges. Since its full deployment in 2021, maritime security on the Nigerian Continental Shelf has seen significant improvements.
Oyetola attributed the nation’s zero piracy record over the past 24 months to these security efforts, noting that the United Nations Security Council, during its 905th meeting, acknowledged Nigeria’s strides in maritime security thanks to the Deep Blue Project’s contributions. He emphasised that these gains will be sustained to safeguard the nation’s waterways.
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