• Blue Economy
• NIPPS
• Security Reforms

PRESIDENT TINUBU UNVEILS NEW BLUE ECONOMY FRAMEWORK, ORDERS NATIONAL SECURITY REVIEW

• 

  CapitalTimesNews / 2 months
• 0
• 3 min read

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced a new security and economic framework designed to unlock Nigeria’s vast marine and aquatic resources, declaring the blue economy a critical sector for national transformation. In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media & Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, the President directed all relevant ministries, departments, and agencies to immediately review and implement recommendations from a comprehensive study on blue economy development conducted by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies. President Tinubu made the announcement during a Presidential Parley with participants of Senior Executive Course 47 of NIPSS at the Presidential Villa, where he was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima. He stated the administration is committed to converting Nigeria’s maritime potential into a major driver of economic diversification, job creation and long-term prosperity. “The blue economy offers a strategic pathway for diversifying our revenue base, creating sustainable employment and revitalising the ecosystems that sustain national development. If properly harnessed, this sector could become an anchor of shared prosperity for generations,” the President said. He welcomed the NIPSS findings, describing them as a timely resource that outlines the “opportunities we must seize, the challenges we must confront and the policies we must refine.” President Tinubu highlighted Nigeria’s marine endowments, including an 853-kilometre coastline, and said the administration is prioritising aquaculture expansion, port modernisation, coastal tourism, marine biotechnology and renewable ocean energy. “These opportunities lie within our grasp if we act with discipline and intentionality,” he said. The President reaffirmed his reform agenda, citing the establishment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy as a critical step, but acknowledged that more work lies ahead. He stressed that economic ambitions cannot be realised without a safe environment, warning that oil theft, illegal fishing, smuggling, vandalism and kidnapping still undermine revenues and investor confidence. “These threats are real, and this Administration is taking decisive steps to address them,” President Tinubu said. He also assigned NIPSS an expanded national security mandate, ordering the institute to conduct a nationwide security diagnostic and develop actionable recommendations to guide reforms in Nigeria’s security architecture. “The policy paper shall be submitted to my office within an agreed timeline, and it will receive the utmost attention,” he assured. Earlier, the Director-General of NIPSS, Prof. Ayo Omotayo, thanked the President and the Minister of Finance for supporting the study. Highlighting the report, Colonel Murkar Dauda noted the Federal Government was already addressing systemic gaps, while commending the President’s leadership. The report outlined challenges of governance, institutional coordination, and infrastructure below global standards. It emphasized fisheries and aquaculture as strong entry points, advising that diversifying revenue sources will unlock new earnings. Key recommendations include launching a national fisheries expansion programme to increase fish production from 1.2 to 10 metric tonnes within two years, expanding the sector’s revenue base, and developing a comprehensive financing framework. The report also advised reviewing all legal and policy frameworks, establishing a skills and job creation framework, and enhancing the safety and security of inland water bodies. Nkwocha confirmed the details of the parley and the directives issued by the President.