Nigeria’s maritime sector has entered a decisive phase of renewal following a series of far-reaching interventions by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, CON.

According to the Minister’s Special Adviser, Dr Bolaji Akinola, the marine and blue economy sector has been decisively unlocked for genuine growth and development under Oyetola’s leadership.

Akinola said the Minister’s actions since assuming office in August 2023, and most notably throughout 2025, have dismantled obstacles that constrained the sector for decades. These reforms, he noted, have restored confidence, improved performance and repositioned the marine and blue economy as a critical pillar of Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.

Foremost among these achievements, he said, was the resolution of the notorious Apapa gridlock, which for over 20 years paralysed the Lagos port corridor and severely disrupted trade.

 By early 2024, sustained policy coordination, operational discipline and infrastructure optimisation delivered lasting relief to Apapa and its environs.

 He said the clearing of the gridlock significantly reduced cargo dwell time, lowered logistics costs, enhanced port efficiency and removed a major disincentive to investment, effectively restoring the Lagos ports as functional gateways for national and regional commerce.

Another long-standing setback, according to the Special Adviser, was Nigeria’s prolonged absence from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council.

He noted that Nigeria’s return to the IMO Council in 2025, after 14 years outside the global maritime decision-making body, followed a keenly contested election and marked a major restoration of the country’s international maritime standing.

 Achieved under Minister Oyetola’s focused leadership, the feat strengthened Nigeria’s influence in shaping global maritime regulations, reinforced its leadership role in Africa and reaffirmed international confidence in its maritime governance.

Akinola further disclosed that the Minister secured approval in 2025 for Nigeria’s first comprehensive port upgrade and modernisation in over 50 years, breaking another jinx that left the nation’s ports operating on obsolete infrastructure. This milestone, he said, signals the beginning of a transformative era that will align Nigerian ports with global standards, boost competitiveness, attract larger vessels and position the country as a maritime and logistics hub for West and Central Africa.

In a related landmark development, the Ministry also issued compliance certificates for the Bakassi Deep Sea Port and the Ondo Deep Sea Port to the Governors of Cross River and Ondo States respectively.

 According to Akinola, the issuance of the certificates represents a critical regulatory breakthrough that clears the way for accelerated investment, construction and eventual operations of the two ports, further expanding Nigeria’s port capacity and strengthening regional trade.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos