The Federal Government has called for stronger regional coordination and maritime governance across the Gulf of Guinea to tackle maritime crime and unlock Africa’s blue economy potential.
President Bola Tinubu made the call on Tuesday while speaking at the High-Level Roundtable on Maritime Sovereignty and Ocean Governance during the Africa Forward Summit 2026 in Nairobi.
According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Bolaji Akinola, the President said African countries must move from “sea blindness” to “ocean sovereignty” by treating maritime governance and security as critical pillars for economic growth and investment.
“For too long, ‘sea blindness’ has meant that we have looked upon the vast waters under our jurisdiction as voids, or simply as sources of threat,” Tinubu said.
“Nigeria is here to tell a different story: our maritime domain is a sovereign territory, and its governance must be asserted, resourced, and institutionalised.”
The President warned that maritime crime in the Gulf of Guinea could not be effectively addressed by countries acting independently, stressing the need for deeper collaboration among coastal states in the region.
“As we endorse the Nairobi Declaration, Nigeria affirms that maritime sovereignty and ocean governance are the non-negotiable foundations of Africa’s Blue Economy transformation,” he said.
Tinubu noted that Nigeria had shifted its maritime strategy from one focused mainly on threats to a broader framework centred on economic opportunity, regional security and investment attraction.
He said secure sea lanes and predictable regulatory systems were necessary to attract private capital into Africa’s blue economy sector.
The President also highlighted Nigeria’s recent institutional reforms, including the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, describing the move as evidence that ocean governance had become a central component of national policy.
Tinubu further stated that piracy incidents had been eliminated within Nigerian waters following sustained investments in maritime security infrastructure under the Deep Blue Project.
According to him, the initiative deployed an integrated network of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets, including command-and-control centres, special mission vessels, fast intervention boats and aerial platforms.
“The global maritime community has acknowledged the elimination of piracy incidents within Nigerian waters and the substantial reduction of attacks across the Gulf of Guinea,” he said.
The President urged African nations to regard ocean governance as a collective and generational responsibility.
“The oceans have no duplicate as a common heritage of mankind,” he added.
