By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s Minister of the Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, has bemoaned foreign dominance of the fishing industry, assuring that under his watch, it will no longer be business as usual.
He also promised to tackle illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the country, noting that Nigeria has an untapped blue economy potential at a stunning $296 billion, and the ministry will serve as a dependable source of alternative revenue – away from oil.
The Minister, during a working visit to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) headquarters in Lagos, assured that the federal government would also harness marine tourism, safety, and security.
Mr Oyetola said the time has come for Nigeria to fully harness its vast potential in the maritime sector, noting that the working visit was to ascertain and properly appraise the situation of things with a view to taking practical steps and measures towards addressing them.
He called for the rediscovery, harnessing, and packaging of the nation’s maritime resources, including seafood, in line with all associated international standards and specifications.
“According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the fisheries sector contributed 1.09 per cent of the country’s total GDP in the year 2020 and 0.9 per cent in the Q3 of 2021. We are regarded as a net importer of fishery products. But we are determined to change the narrative by putting in place measures to make Nigeria a major player in that regard,” he cited.
Mr Oyetola stressed that the safety and security of the maritime corridors of Nigeria was a priority area in his agenda for the ministry, noting that without safety and security, there can never be a meaningful achievement in the industry.
He added that with the rich endowments of her marine and blue economy, Nigeria had no justification not to develop marine tourism, which is a revenue-spinner for most countries, especially at the period when diversification of the economy from oil was sacrosanct.
According to him, “Nigeria makes up about 853 kilometres of the estimated 47,000 kilometres of coastline in Africa. Nigeria has one of the largest wetlands in the world, with its coastal and marine ecosystems covering a total of 70,000 square kilometres.
“There are countries around the world that rely solely on earnings from the tourism sector. Here in Nigeria, we also have what it takes to attract tourists to the waters. Therefore, we shall be developing the infrastructure in cities and towns that are lake or coastal-facing for this purpose”.