The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, has identified port efficiency and safety as hallmarks of the Ministry’s goals under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Oyetola was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Lagos International Maritime Week and the 9th International Maritime Business-to-Business Conference and Exhibition, on Tuesday.
The Minister, who was represented by the Director Legal, Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Chinedu Mbam, added that the administration is fully committed to driving the modernisation of the ports and maritime infrastructure.
At the conference themed; “Navigating the Future of Africa’s Marine and Blue Economy – Safety First,” the Minister opined that by upgrading the nation’s ports to global standards, Nigeria and Africa is positioning to become leaders in international maritime trade with ports as gateway to prosperity.
“We understand that port efficiency and safety are not options; they are imperatives for unlocking the full potential of the blue economy. This is significant because safety remains the cornerstone upon which all maritime operations and business success rest.”
“In the maritime world, safety is not merely a regulatory obligation; it is a critical component and an enabler of economic growth, trade and investment,” he said.
According to him, in the absence of safety, businesses encounter heightened risks, operational disruptions and diminished investor confidence.
He argued that through key initiatives such as the Deep Blue Project, the nation has recorded a quantum leap in reducing maritime crimes, including piracy and smuggling, in Nigerian waters and across the Gulf of Guinea.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, ZOE Maritime Resources Limited, Mrs Oritsematosan Edodo-Emore, stressed that maritime safety was key to the actualisation of Africa’s blue economy.
Edodo-Emore said that LIMWEEK 2024 theme mirrored the theme of the World Maritime Day, as determined by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO)
Meanwhile, she asserted that with the establishment of the ministry of marine and blue economy by the present administration, Nigeria now has the impetus to focus on its blue economy development.
