Blue Economy
Oyetola Takes Nigeria’s Blue Economy Drive to Monrovia, Rallies West Africa on Fisheries Investment and Regional Unity
Oyetola Takes Nigeria’s Blue Economy Drive to Monrovia, Rallies West Africa on Fisheries Investment and Regional Unity
By Emetena Ikuku, Waterways News Correspondent, Lagos
Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has mounted a strong push for West and Central African nations to deepen regional cooperation and scale up investment in fisheries and aquaculture, warning that no single country can win the fight against illegal fishing on its own.
Oyetola made the call in Monrovia, Liberia, on Monday, where he addressed the National Fisheries Investment Conference held from March 30 to 31, 2026. The high-level gathering, declared open by Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, brought together ministers responsible for fisheries and aquaculture from across the subregion.
Speaking in his dual capacity as Nigeria’s minister and Chairman of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), Oyetola described the conference as a critical opportunity to unlock the enormous potential of the blue economy. He noted that millions of people across the region depend on fisheries and aquaculture for their livelihoods, with fish remaining one of the most accessible and affordable sources of protein.
However, he was candid about the headwinds facing the sector. Declining fish stocks, poor infrastructure, limited access to finance, and inadequate technology continue to hobble progress, he said, stressing that sustainable management of oceans, rivers and coastal ecosystems must be the foundation of any meaningful advance.
On Nigeria’s domestic front, the minister said the Tinubu administration is actively repositioning fisheries and aquaculture as pillars of the country’s blue economy. Policies to boost local production, reduce fish imports and tighten regulation are already bearing fruit, he noted, pointing to Nigeria’s uninterrupted access to international markets for shrimp exports as evidence of the reforms taking hold.
Oyetola also highlighted Nigeria’s wider maritime gains — including steps to tackle marine pollution, upgrade port infrastructure and improve security on the Gulf of Guinea. He said the country’s recent record of zero piracy incidents has significantly improved investor confidence across the region.
Turning to investment, the minister urged stakeholders to channel funding across the full fisheries value chain — from aquaculture and processing to cold-chain logistics and export development — arguing that a well-supported sector could create thousands of jobs, especially for young people.
On regional cooperation, he was emphatic: fish stocks respect no borders, and only collective action through bodies like the FCWC can effectively combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. He reaffirmed the FCWC’s commitment to joint patrols, a regional vessel register, shared intelligence systems and harmonised fisheries policies designed to improve governance and attract investment across member states.
Nigerian Navy Marks 70 Years With Fleet That Has Grown Tenfold
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News Correspondent
Seventy years after its establishment, the Nigerian Navy has grown from a modest colonial inheritance of 11 vessels into a maritime force of more than 100 warships and patrol boats — a tenfold expansion that reflects both the ambition and the evolving security demands of a nation defined by water.
The milestone was highlighted on Sunday by Rear Admiral Ebiobowei Zipele, Flag Officer Commanding Naval Training Command, during an interdenominational church service held in Onne, Rivers State, as part of activities marking the service’s 70th anniversary.
“When the Navy was established in 1956, it began operations with only 11 vessels transferred from the British Royal Navy,” Zipele told the congregation. Today, he said, that modest fleet has expanded into one of Africa’s leading maritime security forces, with over 100 ships and boats deployed across Nigeria’s territorial waters, exclusive economic zone, and critical waterway corridors.
From Inheritance to Air Power
The transformation has not been limited to surface vessels. Zipele said the creation of the Navy’s air arm — comprising helicopters and surveillance drones — had significantly enhanced the service’s ability to monitor vast stretches of open water and respond rapidly to emerging threats. The integration of aerial assets into naval operations has been particularly important given the sheer scale of Nigeria’s maritime territory, which covers more than 850 kilometres of coastline and an exclusive economic zone stretching some 200 nautical miles into the Atlantic.
For a waterways sector that depends on secure sea lanes to function — from oil exports through the Niger Delta to commercial shipping into the ports of Apapa and Tin Can Island — the Navy’s evolving posture has direct consequences.
Piracy in Retreat — For Now
Perhaps the Navy’s most cited achievement in recent years is the sharp reduction in piracy across the Gulf of Guinea. Zipele credited the service with significantly dismantling piracy networks in Nigeria’s waters and the wider Gulf over the past three years, a development he said had measurably boosted investor confidence and commercial shipping activity in the region.
The Gulf of Guinea was, until recently, ranked among the world’s most dangerous shipping corridors. International maritime organisations had for years flagged the area as a hotspot for vessel hijackings, crew kidnappings, and cargo theft — incidents that drove up insurance premiums and deterred shipping lines. The recent drop in recorded incidents has been widely attributed to increased naval patrols, intelligence-sharing arrangements with regional navies, and the deployment of deep-water assets.
Yet Zipele was candid that the gains are fragile. “The Nigerian Navy cannot be everywhere at the same time,” he acknowledged — a statement that reflects the operational reality of patrolling one of the world’s busiest and most resource-rich maritime zones with a fleet that, despite its growth, remains stretched.
A Whole-of-Society Response
To bridge the gaps, the Navy has increasingly leaned on a network of partner agencies. Zipele identified the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and private security firm Tantita Security Services as key collaborators in maintaining order on Nigeria’s waterways.
The inclusion of Tantita — a company founded by former militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, known as Tompolo — underlines the pragmatic, and at times controversial, approach the federal government has taken to securing the creeks and offshore fields of the Niger Delta.
Nigeria Watch: What the Anniversary Means for Nigeria’s Waterways
For stakeholders in Nigeria’s inland and coastal waterways sector, the Navy’s anniversary is a reminder of both progress and persistent vulnerability. Waterway-dependent communities — from fishing villages along the Bight of Benin to ferry operators on the Lagos Lagoon — remain exposed to criminal activity that conventional naval deployments are not always positioned to address.
As cargo volumes through Nigeria’s ports continue to rise and pressure mounts on road infrastructure, the case for securing and developing the country’s waterways has never been stronger. A Navy better equipped to protect those corridors is an essential part of that equation.
The service turns 70 with more ships, more reach, and more tools than at any point in its history. Whether that is enough to match the scale of Nigeria’s maritime ambitions remains the defining question of the decade ahead.
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LASWA Sweeps Lagos Jetties, Seizes 120 Substandard Life Jackets in Safety Crackdown
Authority warns operators: vessel seaworthiness and passenger safety equipment are non-negotiable
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News Correspondent
The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has stepped up its safety enforcement campaign across the state’s busy ferry corridors, seizing and withdrawing 120 damaged life jackets from active circulation at terminals and jetties following a comprehensive round of unannounced inspections.
The exercise, conducted as part of LASWA’s ongoing effort to tighten regulatory compliance on Lagos waterways, targeted some of the most heavily trafficked jetties in the metropolis — including Ipakodo, Bayeku, Ijede, Ebute-Ero, Liverpool, Sabokoji, and Alex — locations that collectively serve hundreds of thousands of commuters and cargo movements weekly.
The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Blue Economy, Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, who confirmed the enforcement action in a statement on Friday, said the sweep was specifically designed to assess boat seaworthiness and verify the integrity of life-saving equipment aboard commercial vessels.
” The inspection campaign covered several terminals and jetties, focusing on boat seaworthiness and life jacket compliance. During the exercise, 120 damaged life jackets were seized and removed from circulation,” Emmanuel stated.
He emphasised that the confiscation of the defective equipment was not merely a punitive gesture, but a preventive measure aimed at eliminating life-threatening hazards before they could claim lives on the water.
Mixed Compliance Picture Across Terminals
While the enforcement action yielded serious concerns, Emmanuel noted that the overall picture across inspected terminals was not uniformly poor. A number of commercial boat operators were found to be in good standing, with vessels meeting the required safety specifications. However, others fell short — particularly on vessel seaworthiness — and were directed to carry out necessary repairs before resuming operations.
“Strict enforcement of safety protocols, especially vessel conditions and life jacket quality, is non-negotiable,” Emmanuel stated, making clear that LASWA would not be issuing any waivers or extensions to operators found in breach.
The authority confirmed that enforcement patrols will be sustained at all terminals across the state, with operators put on notice that further inspections are forthcoming and that sanctions will follow any repeat violations.
Legal Obligations and Passenger Rights
LASWA reiterated that under existing waterways regulations, all commercial ferry and boat operators have a binding legal obligation to maintain seaworthy vessels and to equip every passenger with a certified, fully functional life jacket. The use of worn, torn, or otherwise compromised safety equipment — however cosmetically intact it may appear — constitutes a regulatory violation that exposes both passengers and operators to serious risk.
Emmanuel reaffirmed that LASWA’s overarching mandate remains the establishment of a safer, more reliable, and properly regulated waterways transportation system across Lagos State.
Nigeria Watch: A Waterways News analytical note for maritime industry stakeholders
LASWA’s latest enforcement sweep arrives at a time of heightened scrutiny over safety standards on Lagos waterways — a sector that has struggled for decades with the twin challenges of rapid passenger growth and inconsistent operator compliance.
The seizure of 120 defective life jackets from active service is significant not just in its scale, but in what it implies: that a meaningful number of commercial ferry operations have been running with equipment that could not be relied upon in an emergency. For a waterway system that has experienced multiple fatal incidents over the years — from capsizings on the Lagos Lagoon to collisions at busy terminal approaches — the tolerance of substandard personal flotation devices represents an unacceptable risk to the travelling public.
For stakeholders in the inland waterways and ferry sector, the message from LASWA is unambiguous: the era of discretionary compliance is over. Operators who have historically banked on infrequent inspections or lax follow-through will need to recalibrate. The authority’s decision to publicise the details of its enforcement action — naming the specific terminals covered — signals a deliberate communications strategy aimed at raising public awareness and applying reputational pressure on non-compliant operators.
There is also a broader governance dimension worth noting. The overlapping jurisdictional question between LASWA and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) — which has long created ambiguity over who bears primary regulatory responsibility for certain routes and facilities in Lagos — remains an area where clear demarcation would strengthen, not undermine, safety enforcement. LASWA’s assertive posture in this latest exercise reinforces its claim to operational authority on Lagos State waterways, even as the federal-state jurisdictional debate continues.
For operators, terminal managers, and vessel owners across the Lagos waterways ecosystem, this is the time to audit safety equipment inventories, accelerate vessel maintenance schedules, and ensure that compliance is treated as a continuous obligation — not a box ticked ahead of an anticipated inspection.
Supreme Court Strips NIWA of Powers Over Waterfront Lands in States
Apex court voids Sections 12 and 13 of NIWA Act, issues perpetual injunction against federal government in landmark Lagos-led constitutional suit
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | Waterways News | Lagos, 24 May 2026
Nigeria’s apex court has redrawn the constitutional boundaries of federal authority over inland waterways in a ruling that carries sweeping implications for waterfront development, land administration, port hinterland management, and urban planning across the country’s coastal and riverine states.
In a landmark judgment delivered on Friday in Suit No. SC/CV/541/2025, the Supreme Court held that Sections 12 and 13 of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Act are invalid to the extent that they empower the federal government to regulate and control lands adjoining waterways for purposes unrelated to navigation, maritime activities and fishing.
The case, brought by Lagos State under the court’s original jurisdiction, drew in a broad coalition of Nigerian states seeking relief from what they characterised as decades of unconstitutional federal overreach into state territories. Joining Lagos in the suit were Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Ogun, Cross River, Kaduna, Enugu, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Benue, Rivers, Osun, Oyo and Anambra.
Lagos State’s legal team was led by former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, alongside Olasupo Shasore SAN and Muiz Banire SAN, while the federal government was represented by Akin Olujinmi SAN.
The Ruling
The seven-member panel of the court, led by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, issued a perpetual injunction restraining the federal government from dealing with lands adjoining waterways within Lagos State and other states of the federation for non-navigational purposes. Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar read the lead judgment.
Although the court was unanimous on most issues, the decision recorded a 5-2 split on the constitutionality of Sections 10 and 11 of the NIWA Act. Justices Agim and Idris dissented on some aspects, maintaining that Lagos State ought to have succeeded on additional reliefs relating to federal control over waterways.
At the heart of Lagos State’s argument was the contention that the National Assembly had exceeded its constitutional mandate. The state argued that Sections 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the NIWA Act conflicted with Sections 4 and 315 of the Constitution, the Land Use Act, and Items 36 and 64 of the Exclusive Legislative List. Lagos further argued that the federal government could not validly exercise powers over inland waterways not designated as international or interstate waterways, and that it lacked constitutional authority to regulate lands adjoining waterways for non-navigational purposes.
Before proceeding to the substance of the case, the Supreme Court first considered and dismissed preliminary objections filed by the federal government challenging its jurisdiction. The court also rejected the federal government’s argument that earlier litigation between NIWA and LASWA had already settled the matter, holding that the present suit was distinguishable from the earlier NIWA v. LSWA decision and therefore not barred by res judicata.
On the substantive constitutional questions, the apex court ruled that while the federal government possesses authority over navigation, maritime activities, fishing and international waterways, those powers do not extend to general control over lands adjoining waterways within states. The National Assembly, it held, had acted ultra vires in attempting to regulate adjoining lands for purposes outside navigation-related activities.
What the Court Granted — and What It Did Not
The victory for Lagos and co-plaintiff states, while significant, was partial. The Supreme Court declined to invalidate Sections 10 and 11 of the NIWA Act and reaffirmed the federal government’s constitutional authority over navigation and declared federal waterways. It refused Lagos State’s requests for declarations that the National Assembly lacked legislative competence over waterways not specifically designated as international or inter-state waterways, holding that those claims had already been substantially addressed in the earlier NIWA v. LSWA decision.
In practical terms, the ruling draws a precise constitutional line: the federal government retains control over waterway navigation and designated federal routes, but can no longer use NIWA’s powers to commandeer adjoining land within states for purposes unconnected to those navigation functions.
The Road to This Judgment
This ruling comes two years after the Supreme Court’s January 2024 judgment, which had broadly affirmed federal supremacy over Nigerian inland waterways. In that earlier decision, Justice John Inyang Okoro held that NIWA is the only agency with powers to exclusively manage, direct and control all activities on navigable waters and their right-of-way throughout the country, and warned Lagos State and its agencies to stay away from regulatory activities on Nigerian inland waterways.
That 2024 ruling had emboldened federal agencies and left LASWA’s revenue collection and ferry licensing operations in legal limbo. The latest judgment does not reverse the navigational authority confirmed in 2024, but it significantly curtails NIWA’s ability to extend its administrative reach into waterfront lands — a distinction with enormous practical consequences for Lagos’s waterfront economy.
Implications for the Waterways Sector
The judgment is expected to have far-reaching implications for waterfront development, land reclamation, urban planning, environmental regulation and revenue generation in Lagos and other coastal states. It is also expected to shape future constitutional litigation on waterways, land administration, federalism, and resource control across Nigeria.
For operators in Lagos — ferry services, boat operators, terminal developers, dredging companies, and waterfront property holders — the ruling provides meaningful clarity on a regulatory environment that has long been characterised by overlapping federal and state authority. The perpetual injunction against federal interference in non-navigational waterfront land activity removes a persistent source of regulatory risk for investment and development projects.
The broader question of whether LASWA can now reassert licensing and revenue collection powers over intra-state ferry services remains unresolved by this judgment, which stopped short of revisiting the navigational jurisdiction question settled in 2024.
Nigeria Watch: A Waterways News Analysis
Friday’s Supreme Court ruling is both a constitutional clarification and a commercial signal. For years, the NIWA-LASWA standoff paralysed investment decisions across Lagos’s waterfront corridor — from the creeks of Makoko to the emerging terminals along the Lekki shoreline. Developers, ferry operators, and infrastructure investors were caught between two regulatory authorities, each claiming jurisdiction and each capable of disrupting operations.
The court has now surgically divided that disputed territory: federal authority governs the water and what moves on it; state authority governs the land beside it, at least where the purpose is not navigation. That distinction is not merely academic. It determines who approves waterfront reclamation projects, who collects ground rents on jetty facilities, who authorises mixed-use developments along canal corridors, and ultimately who benefits from the economic value that water access creates in a megacity of more than 20 million people.
For Nigeria’s other coastal and riverine states — from Rivers to Bayelsa to Akwa Ibom — the perpetual injunction granted by the Supreme Court offers similar relief. Governors of those states will now have a far stronger constitutional basis to develop and commercialise their own waterfront lands without federal encroachment under the guise of NIWA’s enabling legislation.
The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and NIWA will need to recalibrate their operational mandates accordingly. The ministry’s ambitions for blue economy expansion depend on an efficient, investment-friendly waterways environment — and continued legal friction with state governments has historically been among the biggest obstacles to that goal.
This ruling, properly understood, is an opportunity as much as a constraint.
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