Akutah, Dantsoho, others urge national collaboration against marine debris

Second Vice-President, Nigerian Association of Master Mariners, Capt. Olugunwa Jide (left), a Master Mariner, Capt. Femi Oyewole, Principal Manager and representative of the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Capt. Femi Oyewole, Deputy Director Enforcement and Monitoring and representative of the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Adesina Sarumi, President of the Shipping Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria, Moses Ebosele, and Deputy Director Operations and representative of the Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority, Aisha Eri, during the SCAN summit on marine debris in Lagos

Maritime stakeholders have expressed the imperative of strengthened national policy framework to tackle marine debris and avert the danger ahead and safeguard the future of Nigerian oceans. Speaking at the Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN) 2025 Annual Summit in Lagos, the noted that marine debris impairs navigational safety and port operations, pollutes coastlines, as well as undermines tourism, coastal livelihoods and community health, among others. The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Abubakar Dantsoho, noted that marine debris is a menace that threatens biodiversity, including fish, marine mammals and seabirds, often through entanglement and ingestion, just as it poses grave danger to vessels. Dantsoho, who was represented by the NPA Principal Manager, Marine, Capt. Femi Oyewole, stated that as custodians of Nigeria’s seaports, the agency is deeply vested in advancing national and global efforts to combat marine litter and preserve the integrity of the marine ecosystem. Addressing the theme of the summit, “Marine Debris: The Danger Ahead,” he emphasised that the “dangers are no longer distant possibilities but are present and growing,” Dantsoho said the NPA has taken several proactive measures to confront the menace head-on.

According to him, the NPA operates and regulates port reception facilities at all major ports in Nigeria, ensuring full compliance with the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, particularly on garbage disposal from ships calling at the agency’s ports. “These facilities provide secure, environmentally-sound reception and handling of waste from vessels calling at Nigerian ports,” Dantsoho disclosed. “They are equipped to receive a wide range of ship-generated wastes, including plastics, food waste, domestic garbage, oily rags and hazardous residues, besides daily sludges and bilges. “By doing so, we eliminate the incentive for illegal disposal into the marine environment and ensure that all wastes are treated, recycled or disposed of in accordance with national and international environmental standards.” He further explained that by removing plastics, packaging materials, vegetation waste and solid litter, the NPA is able to protect marine life, reduce blockages in port drainage systems, and ensure the smooth operation of vessels in port environments and navigational channels.” On his part, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Pius Akutah, said that SCAN chose a critical topic that emphasis the need to prioritise the clearance of the water channels to ensure free sailing for the vessels on the inlands waterways. Represented by the Deputy Director, Monitoring and Enforcement, Adeshina Sarumi, akuta said that a channel dotted with waste debris or shipwrecks is not favourable to the nation’s water transportation. He tasked the media on facts accurate data to facilitate the operations of the agencies accordingly.

Similarly, the Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bolaji Oyebamiji, urged all maritime stakeholders to be upright in tackling marine debris, emphasising the need for more enlightenment for coastal communities. Describing marine waste as a menace afflicting the whole world, Oyebamiji, who was represented by the agency’s Assistant General Manager, Aisha Eri, noted that there exists a marine litter action plan with shared responsibilities for all stakeholders to curb the menace. He further appealed to residents of coastal areas to compliment the efforts of regulatory agencies by desisting from polluting the waters. Meanwhile, the Guest Speaker and President of the Nigerian Association of Master Mariners, Capt. Tajudeen Alao, expressed concerns that some strategic, natural tourist areas have been taken over by debris. Alao, who was represented by the association’s Second Vice-President, Capt. Olugunwa Jide, noted that unchecked accumulation of marine debris has continued to threaten Nigeria’s competitiveness in the maritime space. He called for a legislative framework to curb the trend. Earlier, SCAN President, Moses Ebosele, said the theme of the summit highlighted the urgent need to address the marine debris crisis and its threat to the maritime industry, marine ecosystems, and coastal communities to facilitate a national dialogue to curb marine pollution.