President Bola Tinubu has invited the People’s Republic of China to partner with Nigeria through the sharing of geophysical data, technology and technical expertise, rather than financial aid, as part of efforts to unlock the country’s vast marine resources and accelerate economic growth.
The offer was conveyed by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, during a keynote address at the United Nations Sustainable Development Workshop on High-quality Development of the Marine Economy in Beijing at the invitation of the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations.
Speaking on behalf of President Tinubu, Ibrahim praised China’s leadership in developing the global marine and blue economy, while reaffirming Nigeria’s ambition to emerge as one of the world’s leading marine economies.
He noted that the Tinubu administration had already demonstrated its commitment to the sector through the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, describing the oceans as the next frontier for wealth creation and sustainable development.
According to Ibrahim, the future of global prosperity lies beneath the oceans, urging countries to move beyond reliance on traditional economic indicators and tap into the vast opportunities presented by the blue economy.
He stressed that what Nigeria needs from China was not financial assistance but strategic cooperation through access to geophysical and nautical data, technology transfer, innovation and investment that would enable the country to fully harness the economic potential of its marine resources.
“The hidden treasure that comes with it (ocean) calls for collective action to shift the narrative from poverty to prosperity”, Ibrahim declared, adding that President Tinubu was extending an open invitation to China to deepen collaboration in the blue economy for the benefit of Nigeria, Africa and the global community.
The envoy also called for stronger international cooperation to tackle challenges including climate change, weak cross-border governance and the unsustainable exploitation of marine resources. He argued that while these issues remain significant, they should not prevent nations from benefiting from what he described as the “ocean of prosperity.”
He urged the international community to move beyond policy discussions to concrete action by embracing innovation, artificial intelligence, circular economic solutions and data-driven approaches to develop the blue economy sustainably.
Ibrahim further proposed that the International Monetary Fund introduce zero-interest financing to support member states in developing their blue economy sectors, saying such funding would help unlock the sector’s full economic potential.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to deeper collaboration, Ibrahim said President Tinubu was extending an open invitation to China to forge a strategic partnership in the blue economy for the benefit of Nigeria, Africa and the global community. He stressed the urgency of action, declaring that “the future is here, and doing nothing is not an option.”