Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON (right) and African Union Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador. Idreese Mohammed, when Oyetola led Nigeria’s International Maritime Organisation (IMO) campaign in New York, United States of America, on Wednesday.
Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has taken the country’s campaign for a seat on the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council under Category C to New York.
Oyetola formally addressed Permanent Representatives of African nations to the United Nations at a reception in Nigeria House, highlighting Nigeria’s extensive maritime endowments and commitment to safe, secure, and sustainable shipping.
With 853 kilometers of coastline, over 10,000 kilometers of inland waterways, and a large Exclusive Economic Zone, Nigeria’s strategic location on the Gulf of Guinea makes it a vital corridor for trade. The country has made significant strides in maritime security, recording zero piracy incidents in its waters for three consecutive years, while incidents in the broader Gulf of Guinea have dropped sharply.
The Deep Blue Project, a landmark initiative under the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has established a multi-layered, integrated maritime security framework, coordinating air, land, and sea assets to enhance maritime security. This achievement has restored confidence among international shipping stakeholders and affirmed Nigeria’s role as a guarantor of maritime safety.
Oyetola emphasised Nigeria’s commitment to the IMO’s core mandate and its renewed institutional reforms and growing blue economy agenda. The country has ratified and domesticated key IMO conventions and is actively working to accede to additional instruments addressing greenhouse gas emissions, biofouling, and maritime labour rights.
Nigeria is also committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14, concerning the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources, and to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The country has signed the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) and has commenced its ratification process.
By supporting Nigeria’s bid for the IMO Council seat, Oyetola said, envoys would be backing responsible leadership, inclusivity, and balanced progress in maritime governance, ultimately shaping a maritime order that is safer, greener, more resilient, and more inclusive.