Nigeria is seeking to deepen maritime investment ties with Denmark, with the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, urging Danish businesses to tap into emerging opportunities across Nigeria’s marine and blue economy.
Oyetola made the call in Copenhagen during a bilateral meeting with Denmark’s Minister for Business and Competitiveness, Martin Lidegaard, as Nigeria intensified efforts to attract Danish investment, technology and expertise into its maritime sector.
The meeting formed part of the activities of the Nigerian Ministerial Delegation to Denmark on Maritime and the Blue Economy, led by Oyetola, with discussions centred on investment, maritime infrastructure, technology, green transition, port efficiency, skills development and sustainable economic growth.
The delegation also engaged senior Danish government officials and representatives of the country’s maritime industry.Oyetola said Nigeria had moved beyond establishing the institutional framework for the Marine and Blue Economy and was now focusing on developing projects, mobilising investment, improving sector performance and building human capacity.
“Nigeria is looking for partnerships that can improve sector performance, attract investment, deploy technology, strengthen skills and safety, advance sustainability and create quality jobs”, he said.
Ports, Shipbuilding, Green Shipping Top Investment ListThe minister identified ports and logistics, shipbuilding and ship repair, maritime services, digital technology, fisheries, green shipping, renewable energy, marine infrastructure, financing and multimodal connectivity among the areas offering investment opportunities.
He said Nigeria’s extensive coastline, inland waterways, large consumer market and strategic position in West and Central Africa offered investors access to a broad maritime value chain with considerable long-term commercial potential.
Oyetola noted that the presence of Danish-origin companies already operating in Nigeria’s maritime sector demonstrated the viability of the Nigerian market and provided a foundation for expanding commercial relations between both countries.
“The presence of some Danish companies in Nigeria provides a strong foundation on which we can build. We want to deepen that relationship and create the conditions for more Danish businesses, investors and technology providers to participate in Nigeria’s maritime transformation”, he said.
The minister urged Danish businesses to look beyond their existing investments and explore emerging areas of Nigeria’s maritime value chain.
He stressed that the country was particularly interested in strategic partners capable of bringing capital, technology, technical expertise and innovation into the sector.
According to him, the Nigeria-Denmark engagement is intended to move beyond broad diplomatic commitments towards identifying bankable projects and practical partnerships capable of producing measurable economic outcomes.
Nigeria Offers Scale, Denmark Brings Expertise
Oyetola said Denmark’s established expertise in shipping, maritime services, logistics, green technologies and sustainable ocean industries made the country a strategic partner for Nigeria’s marine and blue economy ambitions.
He said the partnership could combine Danish technology and expertise with the scale and commercial opportunities offered by Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy.
Lidegaard welcomed the prospect of deeper cooperation with Nigeria’s Marine and Blue Economy agenda, stressing the importance of practical partnerships involving businesses, government institutions, technology providers and knowledge institutions.
He said such partnerships would be critical to developing solutions that could be implemented, scaled and commercially sustained in both countries.
The Nigerian delegation included the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Mrs. Fatima Mahmood; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Marine and Blue Economy, Professor Busayo Fakinlede; Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho; Director-General, Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), Dr. Pius Akutah; and Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, among others.