By Platform Reporters
LAGOS – The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, says Nigeria must claim its share of the global blue economy, currently valued at $3 trillion and projected to exceed $6 trillion by 2030.
Oyetola stated this today at the formal unveiling of the NIMASA Blue Economy Accelerator Programme High-Level Interactive Session with the Organised Private Sector, Commercial DFIs, and Sectoral MDAs.
He said Nigeria, with 853 kilometres of coastline, a 200-nautical-mile EEZ, the largest inland waterways network in West Africa, and a six-decade-old offshore energy sector, occupies a position of extraordinary natural advantage.
He noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, answered the question of harnessing the blue economy when he created the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in 2023, while the FEC answered it again with the approval of the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy in May 2025.
Commending NIMASA DG, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, Oyetola described the Accelerator as a paradigm shift – from NIMASA as a regulator, to NIMASA as a catalyst, identifying promising blue economy startups across thirteen innovation tracks.
He called on commercial banks to create dedicated blue economy lending windows, DFIs to deploy blended finance and green bonds, and maritime stakeholders to mentor and sponsor startups.
Oyetola said: _“Nigeria’s blue economy is not a future aspiration – it is a present and urgent imperative. Every stakeholder in this room has a role to play.”
He then formally unveiled the NIMASA-Blue Economy Accelerator Programme on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
