Eshioromeh Sebastian, Abuja
In a decisive move to secure Nigeria’s economic lifelines and unlock maritime potential, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a nationwide security diagnostic and initiated a push for comprehensive port reforms.
The directives were issued on Wednesday during a Presidential Parley with participants of the Senior Executive Course 47 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) at the Presidential Villa.
The President, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, stated that the twin initiatives are central to his administration’s new security and economic framework for harnessing Nigeria’s blue economy.
President Tinubu expanded the mandate of the premier policy institute, tasking NIPSS with conducting a full-scale assessment of the nation’s security architecture.
“The policy paper shall be submitted to my office within an agreed timeline, and it will receive the utmost attention,” he declared.
While acknowledging gains from the Deep Blue Project in reducing piracy, the President highlighted that persistent threats like oil theft, illegal fishing, smuggling, and kidnapping in coastal areas continue to undermine national revenues and investor confidence. “These threats are real, and this Administration is taking decisive steps to address them,” he affirmed.
Concurrently, the President directed all relevant ministries, departments, and agencies to immediately review and begin implementing recommendations from a landmark NIPSS study on blue economy development.
This study provides the blueprint for the urgent modernization of ports and maritime corridors, identified as critical for economic diversification.
“The blue economy offers a strategic pathway for diversifying our revenue base, creating sustainable employment and revitalising the ecosystems that sustain national development,” President Tinubu stated, framing the marine sector as an anchor for future prosperity.
He highlighted the establishment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy as a foundational step, now set to be accelerated through the new directives. The focus areas include port efficiency, aquaculture expansion, coastal tourism, and marine biotechnology.
The Director-General of NIPSS, Prof. Ayo Omotayo, presented the study titled “Blue Economy and Sustainable Development in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities,” which informed the President’s directives.
The report advises the government to launch a national fisheries expansion programme and develop a comprehensive financing framework for the sector, among other key recommendations.
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