Nigeria seeks prompt ratification of biodiversity agreements on oceans, funding

• Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adgboyega Oyetola (middle), Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Olufemi Oloruntola (right), Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority, Bola Oyebamiji (left) at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France

Nigeria has called for the prompt ratification of the agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) and a significant increase in funding for blue economy initiatives for the protection and sustainable use of the world’s oceans. The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, made the call at the ongoing United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, in a national statement on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Oyetola emphasised that urgent and collective global action is needed to secure the health of the oceans for future generations, according to the Special Adviser to the Minister on Media and Communications, Dr. Bolaji Akinola. The conference, which has drawn participation from over 120 member-states, is jointly hosted by France and Costa Rica under the theme, “Accelerating Action and Mobilising All Actors to Conserve and Sustainably Use the Ocean.” Speaking on Nigeria’s position, Oyetola stated that as a coastal state, Nigeria recognises the ocean as a repository of tremendous wealth, natural capital, global food security, employment opportunities and sustainable livelihoods. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to achieving the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 14, as well as the African Union Agenda 2063 and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. He further announced that Nigeria has already signed the BBNJ Agreement and commenced its ratification process, underscoring that the full implementation of the agreement, particularly the goal of designating at least 30 per cent of the global ocean as Marine Protected Areas by 2030, is essential for achieving the goals of SDG 14. Nevertheless, he cautioned that realising this vision will require collective commitment to robust monitoring and enforcement frameworks capable of guaranteeing positive ecological outcomes. The minister explained that Nigeria, demonstrating regional leadership, has also spearheaded efforts among West African nations, validating a regional roadmap for the development of a proposal to designate a highly protected High Seas Marine Protected Area in the Convergence Zone of the Canary and Guinea Currents. Aligned with the conference’s overarching theme, Oyetola voiced Nigeria’s support for the adoption of the draft Nice Ocean Action Declaration and Plan, calling on the global community, particularly investors and development partners, to provide both technical expertise and financial resources to support blue economy initiatives in developing nations. According to Oyetola, meaningful contributions in blue finance and the transfer of marine science are critical to enable better policymaking and foster sustainable ocean-based sectors. The minister further listed several domestic initiatives that Nigeria is implementing to strengthen its ocean governance to include the adoption of a National Blue Economy Policy aimed at incentivising sustainable diversification into ocean-based industries, as well as the development of a national roadmap for BBNJ treaty ratification and implementation. Others are the revision of Nigeria’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan to align with global biodiversity targets, formulation of a National Policy on Marine Plastic Pollution to address land-based sources of marine debris, and the advancement of hydrographic surveys and modern charting schemes to support safer maritime operations across Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea. Meanwhile, he emphasised Nigeria’s resolve to tackle trans-boundary ocean challenges such as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, marine dumping, and the need for enhanced ocean monitoring, stronger data collection and improved regional capacity for ocean services. Oyetola further reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to implementing ocean-related multilateral agreements and called on all nations to take bold and urgent actions to protect the oceans and prioritise SDG 14 for the sake of future generations. He stressed that prompt ratification of the BBNJ Agreement and increased funding for blue economy initiatives are crucial next steps that must be backed by political will, scientific rigour, and global cooperation. The urgency of Nigeria’s message was echoed by other world leaders, with the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, warning that the world’s oceans are under unprecedented strain, absorbing 90 per cent of excess heat from greenhouse gas emissions while suffering from overfishing, rising temperatures, acidification and plastic pollution.

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Tony Nwachukwu

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