…As minister presents three-year scorecard, unveils first national policy
By Godwin Oritse
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has disclosed that agencies under the ministry generated ₦1.83 trillion in 2025, representing a 160 per cent increase from the ₦700.79 billion recorded in 2023.
Oyetola attributed the growth to regulatory reforms, stronger revenue assurance, digitisation and efforts to eliminate financial leakages, saying the development reflected the transformation taking place in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
Presenting the ministry’s three-year scorecard, the minister said the reforms had delivered gains in revenue generation, port infrastructure, maritime security, regulation, indigenous shipping, human capital development, fisheries and inland-waterway safety.
He said the ministry had intensified efforts to unlock the economic potential of Nigeria’s 853-kilometre coastline and extensive inland waterways, positioning the marine and blue economy as drivers of revenue, trade, security and job creation.
“At the heart of our mandate is a simple but powerful objective: to turn Nigeria’s vast marine resources into sustainable economic value for Nigerians,” Oyetola said.
New policy framework
Oyetola identified the approval, in May 2025, of Nigeria’s first National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy as a major milestone of the reform programme.
He said the policy replaced the fragmented approach to managing the country’s maritime resources with a unified framework covering shipping, fisheries, offshore energy, marine biotechnology and other emerging opportunities.
“This policy gives us a clear roadmap. It provides the predictability and transparency investors need while ensuring that our marine resources are developed sustainably,” he said.
According to him, the policy would guide government interventions and provide greater certainty for private-sector investment across the marine and blue economy value chain.
Port modernisation
The minister said port modernisation remained central to the ministry’s transformation agenda, with the Federal Government undertaking comprehensive upgrades at Apapa, Tin Can Island, Onne, Rivers, Calabar and Warri ports.
He said the programme included channel improvements, modern cargo-handling infrastructure and increased digitisation of terminal operations to improve efficiency and enable Nigerian ports to handle larger volumes of international trade.
Oyetola said the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence ranked Tin Can Island Port 10th and Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, 12th among the world’s 20 most improved container ports between 2020 and 2025.
He said the government had also made progress in tackling congestion around Apapa through the electronic truck call-up system, dedicated holding bays and expanded inland barging.
The acquisition of modern tugboats, pilot cutters and dredging equipment by the Nigerian Ports Authority, he added, had further strengthened port operations.
“We have moved from managing congestion to building a port system that can compete globally,” he said.
Oyetola said the government was also pursuing the expansion of port capacity through deep-seaport projects in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa, Ondo, Lagos and Rivers states.
He added that the operationalisation of inland dry ports, including the Funtua Inland Dry Port in Katsina State, was intended to bring cargo-handling and clearance services closer to businesses in the hinterland and reduce pressure on coastal ports.
Regulatory reforms, security
Oyetola said regulatory reforms had also produced benefits for businesses in the maritime sector.
He said the new Nigeria Ports Economic Regulatory Authority (NPERA) framework would strengthen economic regulation of the port sector, while interventions by the ministry and its agencies had saved port users more than ₦86 billion in unjustified demurrage.
He added that nearly 300 commercial disputes had been resolved through alternative dispute resolution.
The minister said measures had also been introduced to eliminate unauthorised shipping charges and strengthen freight and foreign-exchange verification to reduce leakages and curb capital flight.
On maritime security, Oyetola said Nigeria had maintained zero piracy in its territorial waters for four consecutive years, supported by security assets deployed under the Deep Blue Project.
He said the achievement had helped eliminate piracy-related surcharges on vessels calling at Nigerian ports and strengthened Nigeria’s reputation as a safer maritime corridor.
According to him, Nigeria regained its seat on the International Maritime Organization’s Category C Council in November 2025 after a 14-year absence.
He added that the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) also secured the lifting of the 12-year United States Coast Guard Condition of Entry restrictions affecting vessels arriving from Nigerian ports.
“These achievements demonstrate that Nigeria is not only reforming its maritime sector at home; we are reclaiming our rightful voice and influence internationally,” Oyetola said.
Indigenous shipping, human capital
The minister said the government remained committed to developing indigenous shipping capacity.
He disclosed that plans were at an advanced stage to revive a national shipping carrier through a public-private partnership, while the process for disbursing the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) had commenced to enable Nigerian shipowners to acquire modern vessels.
“We cannot build a truly blue economy if Nigerians remain spectators in their own maritime industry,” he said.
Oyetola also said seafarer training and sea-time placements had expanded opportunities for Nigerians seeking careers in the maritime sector.
According to him, the interventions contributed to an increase of more than 80 per cent in average seafarer earnings.
He further said the ministry, through the Nigeria Port Economic Regulatory Agency, facilitated a ₦200,000 monthly minimum wage for maritime and shipping workers.
Beyond ports
Oyetola said the ministry’s agenda extended beyond shipping and port operations to fisheries, inland waterways, marine safety and environmental sustainability.
He said the ministry supported the Federal Government’s Naira-for-Crude policy by streamlining marine logistics for domestic refineries.
On inland waterways, he said safety interventions included the distribution of thousands of life jackets and plans to replace unsafe wooden boats with modern fibreglass vessels.
The fisheries sector, he added, recorded growth, with fish production reaching 1.4 million metric tonnes in 2025.
Nigeria also achieved 100 per cent compliance with Turtle Excluder Device requirements among inspected commercial shrimp trawlers, helping to protect marine biodiversity and maintain access to international markets.
Oyetola said the measures reflected the ministry’s approach of treating economic development and environmental sustainability as complementary objectives.
Institutional reforms
The minister said institutional reforms had also formed part of the ministry’s three-year programme.
According to him, the ministry had digitised its internal operations through an Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability.
He also said the ministry helped resolve a 16-year impasse that paved the way for the operationalisation of the Regional Maritime Development Bank (RMDB) in Nigeria.
The development, he said, would improve access to financing for projects and businesses across the maritime value chain.
Oyetola said the achievements recorded over the past three years represented the foundation for a larger economic opportunity.
He said the objective was to build a maritime ecosystem where efficient ports support trade, stronger security attracts shipping, Nigerian businesses capture a greater share of the maritime value chain, coastal and inland communities benefit from new economic opportunities, and marine resources are developed sustainably.
“The blue economy is no longer an untapped frontier. It is becoming a major engine of national prosperity, regional competitiveness and sustainable growth,” Oyetola said.
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