- Minister of Marine and Blue, Adegboyega Oyetola (middle), Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho (left), Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Olufemi Oloruntola (second right) and the Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, at the opening of the 2025 Sectoral Retreat for senior officials of the ministry and its agencies in Abuja…Tuesday
By Anthony Nwachukwu
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has called on the top management of the ministry and its agencies to recommit to effective leadership, inter-agency collaboration and measurable performance outcomes.
He stressed that marine and blue economy has been placed at the forefront of government’s economic growth agenda under the Renewed Hope framework, and that it is incumbent on the ministry’s leadership to drive this vision with urgency and discipline.
Speaking in Abuja at the opening of the 2025 Sectoral Retreat for senior officials of the ministry and its agencies, the minister reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to the full and accelerated implementation of the newly approved National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy.
He described the gathering as a defining moment for reflection, realignment and purposeful engagement, adding that the retreat goes beyond administrative formality but rather represents a crucial opportunity to evaluate the sector’s direction, and to reposition it for impactful delivery, in line with national expectations.
He highlighted recent milestones to include ongoing efforts to modernise port infrastructure, implementation of the National Single Window platform, improvements in port efficiency, enhanced maritime security, progress in aquaculture and fisheries, and the commencement of processes for the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF).
Notably, he described the Federal Executive Council’s recent approval of the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy as a foundational achievement that sets the strategic framework for long-term sectoral transformation.
With implementation now the focus, Oyetola stressed that leadership across the ministry and its agencies must fully internalise the policy’s strategic priorities and translate them into actionable programmes.
To that end, he called for disciplined execution anchored on improved coordination, technology adoption, transparency, environmental stewardship, and institutional accountability.
He further urged all agencies to treat the performance bonds signed during the retreat as serious commitments to deliver concrete, time-bound outcomes that enhance the sector’s contribution to GDP, expand job creation, increase port throughput, and improve regulatory compliance and revenue mobilisation.
Meanwhile, the minister described Nigeria’s ongoing bid for a Category C seat on the International Maritime Organisation Council as a strategic national objective. Assuring that the ministry would continue to lead on diplomatic engagement and international outreach, he charged every agency to showcase Nigeria’s readiness to contribute meaningfully to global maritime affairs.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oloruntola, noted that the ministry stands at a pivotal juncture in the implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda. According to him, the approval of the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy marks a significant milestone, and the priority now must be to translate it into real, measurable outcomes.
According to him, the retreat is a critical platform to identify and resolve barriers to effective execution, strengthen inter-agency synergy, and define the specific steps needed to position the marine and blue economy as a major driver of national development in alignment with global trends.
