The Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Senator Adedayo Adeyeye, has called for a concerted effort for Nigeria to harness the abundant opportunities in the Blue Economy as a means of economic diversification, employment creation, and sustainable development.
Senator Adeyeye made this call on Tuesday, August 16, 2025, during a public lecture at the first Distinguished Public Lecture of the Centre for Blue Economy and Innovation, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, Ondo State.
In his presentation titled “Imperatives of Blue Economy in Driving Nigerian Economic Development”, the NPA Chairman highlighted the various opportunities that are embedded in the blue economy to include shipping, renewable energy, fisheries, aquaculture and coastal tourism. He reiterated that Nigeria has its share of the Atlantic Ocean shorelines spanning at least 853 kilometres, making it the longest in West Africa. While commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his bold steps and mission to drive Nigeria to economic prosperity and poverty reduction, Adeyeye observed that the establishment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy was a deliberate effort for Nigeria to tap into the wealth of the oceans.
“The Creation of the new ministry to manage ocean resources, therefore, underscores the importance of their economic values and the need to harness them for developmental purposes,” Adeyeye stated.
He emphasised that the Nigeria port remains a bedrock for the blue economy, and called on stakeholders, particularly the academics to join hands with the current government to find a lasting solution to mitigate the challenges affecting the sector for Nigeria to fully leverage its resources and have its fair share from the growing economy for diversification and reduce over reliance on Crude Oil. Adeyeye also urged Nigerian youths to consider careers in maritime industries, indicating that the Blue Economy presents “a golden opportunity of employment generation, food security and future prosperity”.
“The ocean is not just our heritage; it is our future. For Nigeria, the Blue Economy is the tide that can lift all boats, if we choose to sail.” The NPA Chairman concluded.
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