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Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, has been elected Chairman of the Conference of Ministers of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC).
The election took place on Thursday during the 16th FCWC Conference of Ministers, hosted by Nigeria at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The high-level regional meeting, themed “Securing Our Ocean Future: People, Resources, and Commitments,” brought together Ministers and senior officials from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Togo, alongside international partners, regional institutions, and maritime experts.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Oyetola expressed gratitude for the confidence reposed in him by his counterparts and pledged to strengthen regional collaboration against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which he described as “a menace that robs our nations of economic opportunities and threatens millions of livelihoods.”
He vowed to lead a unified front that will promote joint enforcement operations, data sharing, and enhanced governance of shared marine resources.
“Under my chairmanship, I will work collaboratively with all Member States to ensure stronger enforcement, better coordination, and sustainable management of our ocean wealth,” he remarked.
Oyetola emphasised that his leadership would prioritise regional cooperation, transparency, and capacity building to strengthen collective management of marine resources across the Gulf of Guinea.
He, however, underscored that effective ocean governance demands political will, coordinated enforcement, and enduring partnerships.
Welcoming delegates earlier on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Oyetola reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the FCWC and to harnessing the blue economy as a driver of growth and diversification.
Highlighting shared challenges such as maritime insecurity, pollution, and climate change, he called for joint patrols, harmonised regulations, and real-time intelligence sharing among member nations.
“The outcomes of this conference must translate into actionable measures that enhance ocean security, drive economic growth, and protect the prosperity of future generations,” he posited.
The conference, which followed a series of technical sessions and progress reviews, reaffirmed the collective commitment of FCWC Member States to advance regional fisheries governance and ocean sustainability.
