President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on African nations to shift from “sea blindness” to “ocean sovereignty,” emphasising that effective maritime governance and security are critical to unlocking the continent’s vast blue economy potential.
Speaking at the High-Level Roundtable on Maritime Sovereignty and Ocean Governance during the Africa Forward Summit 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya, the President said Nigeria has repositioned its maritime strategy from a threat-focused approach to one driven by economic opportunity, regional security, and investment growth.
“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 stated.
“Nigeria is here to tell a different story: our maritime domain is a sovereign territory, and its governance must be asserted, resourced, and institutionalised”.
Highlighting progress in maritime security, the President declared that piracy has been eliminated within Nigerian waters following sustained investments under the Deep Blue Project.
He explained that the initiative deployed a robust 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 added.
President Tinubu underscored that maritime sovereignty is not only a security priority but also an economic necessity, noting that safe sea lanes and stable regulatory frameworks are essential to attracting private sector investment into the blue economy.
He also pointed to Nigeria’s institutional reforms, particularly the establishment of a dedicated Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, as a clear indication that ocean governance has become a central pillar of national policy.
Calling for stronger regional collaboration, the President warned that maritime crime cannot be effectively addressed by individual countries acting alone and urged deeper coordination across the Gulf of Guinea.
“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 concluded by urging African nations to treat ocean governance as a generational responsibility, stressing that “the oceans have no duplicate as a common heritage of mankind”.