Nigeria’s maritime sector has entered a new era of growth and confidence following sweeping reforms and strategic interventions championed by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, in 2025.
According to the Minister’s Special Adviser, Dr. Bolaji Akinola, the marine and blue economy has been decisively unlocked under Dr. Oyetola’s leadership, with several long-standing constraints—once considered insurmountable successfully dismantled. He described 2025 as a defining year in which deep-rooted structural challenges were confronted and resolved, restoring momentum to a sector central to Nigeria’s economic diversification.
Akinola noted that since assuming office in August 2023, and particularly throughout 2025, the Minister implemented bold and coordinated reforms that restored confidence, improved sector performance and repositioned the marine and blue economy as a critical pillar of national development.
Foremost among these achievements was the resolution of the Apapa port gridlock, a problem that crippled the Lagos port corridor for more than two decades. By early 2024, sustained policy coordination, operational discipline and infrastructure optimisation delivered lasting relief. The clearing of the gridlock, he said, significantly reduced cargo dwell time, lowered logistics costs, enhanced port efficiency and removed a major deterrent to investment, effectively restoring the Lagos ports as functional gateways for national and regional trade.
Another historic breakthrough was Nigeria’s return to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council in 2025, after 14 years of absence. Akinola said the keenly contested election victory restored Nigeria’s standing in global maritime governance, strengthened its influence in shaping international maritime regulations and reaffirmed its leadership role in Africa.
The Special Adviser further revealed that in 2025, Minister Oyetola secured approval for Nigeria’s first comprehensive port upgrade and modernisation programme in over 50 years. This milestone, he said, marks the beginning of a transformative phase that will align Nigerian ports with global standards, boost competitiveness, attract larger vessels and position the country as a maritime and logistics hub for West and Central Africa.
In another landmark development, the Ministry issued compliance certificates for the Bakassi Deep Sea Port and the Ondo Deep Sea Port to the Governors of Cross River and Ondo States respectively. Akinola explained that this regulatory breakthrough clears the path for accelerated investment, construction and eventual operations, significantly expanding Nigeria’s port capacity and strengthening regional trade connectivity.
He also highlighted the establishment of the Regional Maritime Development Bank (RMDB) in 2025, describing it as the resolution of a 16-year stalemate that had constrained access to maritime finance. With the RMDB now operational, long-term funding is expected to flow into shipping, port development and maritime services, providing a solid financial backbone for sustained sectoral growth and regional integration.
Equally significant, Akinola said, was the Minister’s approval in 2025 for the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to commence the long-awaited disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF). Dormant for over two decades, the activation of the fund represents a major turning point for indigenous ship ownership, enabling Nigerian operators to acquire modern vessels, expand capacity and compete more effectively in coastal and international trade.
Beyond infrastructure and finance, Akinola described the development and approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in May 2025 of Nigeria’s first-ever National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy as a historic policy breakthrough. The policy provides a coherent, long-term framework for harnessing the nation’s vast marine resources, integrating shipping, ports, fisheries, aquaculture, marine tourism, offshore energy, seabed resources and environmental sustainability into a unified national strategy. He said the policy eliminates fragmentation, improves inter-agency coordination and provides clarity and certainty for investors while promoting inclusive and sustainable growth.
On maritime security, Akinola reported sustained gains through the effective deployment of assets under the Deep Blue Project, which helped maintain zero piracy incidents in Nigerian waters. This achievement, he said, has strengthened Nigeria’s reputation as a safe maritime domain and boosted investor confidence.
He also disclosed that Nigeria recorded an increase of 300,000 metric tonnes in fish production in 2025, the first such growth in over a decade. This milestone, he said, underscores the Minister’s commitment to reducing Nigeria’s dependence on fish imports, enhancing food security, creating jobs and adding value across the fisheries and aquaculture value chain.
According to Akinola, the cumulative impact of these achievements is the establishment of a strong foundation for sustainable growth in the marine and blue economy. While progress has been steady since August 2023, he stressed that 2025 stands out as a watershed year marked by bold reforms and measurable outcomes.
Looking ahead, he assured that Minister Oyetola remains firmly committed to supporting indigenous ship owners, boosting fish production and pursuing policies that will enable Nigerian operators to compete on equal footing with their foreign counterparts.
With long-standing barriers now dismantled, Akinola said the sector is poised for accelerated growth as the Minister builds on these gains to deliver even greater outcomes in the years ahead.