The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola has said that enhanced security was responsible for the record of zero piracy by Nigeria in the last 24 months.
He added that the United Nations Security Council, at its 905th meeting, acknowledged the progress made by Nigeria in maritime security concerning the contributions of the deep blue project.
To this end, the minister promised to sustain Zero Piracy Incidence in Nigerian Waterways.
The Minister who stated this ahead of Thursday’s World Maritime Day, described the theme for this year’s celebration, “Navigating the Future: Safety First,” as a fitting narrative for the current happenings in Nigeria with regard to President Bola Tinubu’s desire to make Nigeria a maritime hub in Africa.
Oyetola noted that the first major step by the President in navigating the future for Nigeria was the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, while following it up with other policies and programmes that would ensure the safety of the country’s waterways.
The World Maritime Day is celebrated annually to provide an opportunity to focus attention on the importance of shipping and other maritime activities and to emphasise a particular aspect of the work of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
In a statement by his spokesman, Ismail Omipidan, the Minister noted that the theme for the 2024 World Maritime Day, reflects IMO’s efforts at enhancing maritime safety and security, in line with the protection of the marine environment.
On the part of Nigeria, the minister, while noting that the country has reasons to celebrate, further expressed the country’s commitment to sustaining the gains of the Deep Blue Project, with a view to ensuring maximum security of the country’s maritime domain.
Initiated by the Nigerian Government and led by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Deep Blue Project addresses the complex security challenges in Nigeria’s waterways. Since its full deployment in 2021 within the Nigerian Continental Shelf, maritime security has been significantly enhanced.
The statement further noted the efforts of the ministry at ensuring that the nation’s ports compete favourably with other ports across the globe.