Blue Economy
Nigeria to Upgrade Deep Blue Project as Four-Year Zero Piracy Streak Holds
Nigeria to Upgrade Deep Blue Project as Four-Year Zero Piracy Streak Hold
Minister Oyetola seeks Federal Government approval for expanded maritime security infrastructure; U.S. certification opens shrimp export doors
By Aminatu Muhammed | Waterways News
Nigeria’s Federal Government is set to scale up the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure — the Deep Blue Project — as the country consolidates over four years of zero recorded piracy incidents in its territorial waters, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, has announced.
Oyetola disclosed on Thursday in Abuja that a formal proposal had been submitted to the Federal Government to upgrade the project, which he described as a globally-recognised framework that has fundamentally transformed Nigeria’s maritime security landscape since its operationalisation.
Deep Blue at Four: From Crisis Corridor to Model Nation
Speaking while receiving the leadership of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) in his Abuja office, the Minister said the Deep Blue Project — which integrates aerial, land and sea assets with advanced surveillance and response systems — has dramatically improved maritime domain awareness across Nigerian waters and the wider Gulf of Guinea, a region once ranked among the world’s most piracy-prone maritime corridors.
The project’s results, he said, have restored the confidence of international shipping lines and foreign investors, with measurable downstream effects on Nigeria’s economy.
“Safer waters have led to increased shipping traffic, reduced insurance premiums, enhanced port activity and greater regional trade flows,” Oyetola said, adding that the gains extend beyond Nigeria to neighbouring Gulf of Guinea states.
The planned expansion, he noted, would cement Nigeria’s position as the dominant maritime security power in the West and Central African subregion while creating a stronger platform for blue economy growth.
Fisheries Drive: From 1.1m to 1.4m Metric Tonnes
Beyond security, Oyetola outlined the ministry’s parallel agenda to end Nigeria’s costly dependence on fish importation. He disclosed that concerted government efforts had lifted domestic fish production from 1.1 million metric tonnes to 1.4 million metric tonnes in 2025 — the first increase in a decade — and pledged that the ministry would push further to achieve import substitution and build out an export-competitive fisheries sector.
Plans are underway, he said, to reactivate fishing terminals across the country and extend support to artisanal fish farmers as part of a broader strategy to drive food security, employment generation and foreign exchange earnings.
U.S. Approves Nigeria’s Turtle Excluder Device
In a development with direct implications for Nigerian seafood exporters, Oyetola announced that the United States has approved Nigeria’s Turtle Excluder Device certification, clearing the path for Nigerian shrimp to access both the American and European markets.
The approval, he said, has unlocked new foreign exchange earnings for the sector, strengthened the competitiveness of Nigeria’s seafood industry and created employment opportunities across the value chain — from harvesting and processing to logistics and export.
NESG Backs Ministry’s Blue Economy Framework
NESG Chief Executive Officer Dr. Tayo Aduloju, who led the delegation, praised the ministry for developing a National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, describing it as an essential governance framework for attracting structured private sector investment into the sector.
Aduloju said the policy, if effectively implemented, would grow GDP, reduce poverty and generate mass employment, positioning Nigeria as a credible competitor in the global blue economy. He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for establishing the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and for the broader economic reform trajectory pursued since May 2023.
The meeting was also attended by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Fatima Mahmood, ministry directors, and the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Marine and Blue Economy, Prof. Busayo Fakinlede.
Nigeria Watch
The planned Deep Blue upgrade arrives at a strategically opportune moment. For Nigerian maritime operators — shipowners, terminal operators and offshore service providers — sustained zero piracy has already translated into lower war-risk insurance premiums and more reliable berthing schedules for international vessels. An expanded Deep Blue infrastructure would reinforce these gains and could further incentivise Tier-1 global carriers to increase call frequencies at Nigerian ports.
On the fisheries side, the 27% production increase reported for 2025 is encouraging, but the gap between domestic supply and demand remains wide.
The reactivation of fishing terminals and the U.S. Turtle Excluder Device certification are important supply-side catalysts; the harder challenge will be cold-chain infrastructure and quality control at scale. Stakeholders in the aquaculture and fisheries logistics segments should watch ministerial follow-through on the terminal reactivation agenda closely.