The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has reiterated Nigeria’s bid to return to Category C of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council, describing it as a vital step toward strengthening the nation’s influence in global maritime governance.
Speaking in Lagos on Thursday at the 2025 World Maritime Day celebration, themed “Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity,” Oyetola said the move would reinforce Nigeria’s role in shaping maritime decisions worldwide while positioning the sector as a driver of economic diversification beyond oil and gas.
He stressed that the country is making bold commitments to ocean stewardship, modernising port infrastructure, deepening international cooperation, and unlocking the vast opportunities of the blue economy to power sustainable growth.
Underscoring the ocean’s critical role, Oyetola noted that it covers more than 70 per cent of the earth’s surface, generates up to 80 per cent of oxygen, and supports over 80 per cent of global trade.
However, he cautioned that climate change, overfishing, pollution, and neglect continue to threaten its survival.
