The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s strong commitment to strengthening maritime safety, environmental protection, and regional cooperation within the framework of the Abuja Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control.

According to a statement on Saturday signed by the Special Adviser to the Minister on Media and Communications, Dr. Bolaji Akinola, Oyetola stated this during the 3rd Bureau of Ministers Meeting of the Abuja MoU in Conakry, Republic of Guinea.

The former Osun State Governor underscored Nigeria’s determination to align its maritime governance with international standards while advancing the collective interests of West and Central Africa in global shipping.

The Abuja MoU on Port State Control is a regional maritime agreement signed in 1999 by countries in West and Central Africa. Its goal is to enhance maritime safety, protect the marine environment, and ensure ships visiting ports in the region comply with international standards. It is part of a global network of Port State Control regimes, similar to the Paris MoU (Europe) or Tokyo MoU (Asia-Pacific). It empowers countries to inspect foreign ships in their ports and detain unsafe or non-compliant vessels. The Port State Control Committee is the technical body that meets regularly to review the enforcement and technical implementation of the MoU. The Bureau of Ministers provides political leadership and oversight.

Nigeria is one of the leading maritime nations in West Africa and a key member of the Abuja MoU. It controls significant shipping activity in the Gulf of Guinea, which is one of the busiest and most strategic maritime corridors in Africa. Historically plagued by issues like piracy, poor port infrastructure, and the presence of substandard ships.

He commended the government and people of the Republic of Guinea for their hospitality and for successfully hosting the 15th Port State Control Committee Meeting.

Oyetola noted that the technical deliberations of the committee provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities in port state control across the region.

He reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering support for the objectives of the Abuja MoU, highlighting the concrete steps taken by Nigeria to improve its maritime administration, “including the enforcement of port state control and the removal of substandard vessels from its waters.”

Speaking on the recent approval of Nigeria’s National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy by the Federal Executive Council, Oyetola explained that the policy, which serves as a comprehensive framework for safer, “cleaner, and more sustainable maritime operations, aligns with global best practices and the ideals of the Abuja MoU.”

“The policy demonstrates Nigeria’s determination to build a thriving blue economy that balances economic growth with ocean health, job creation, and maritime safety,” he said.

Oyetola called on all member states of the Abuja MoU to strengthen enforcement mechanisms within their respective jurisdictions and to support the institutional resilience of the secretariat.

He cautioned against allowing the region to become a dumping ground for substandard vessels and emphasised that poor compliance could lead to accidents and incidents with far-reaching national, regional, and even global implications.

The Minister further noted that effective port state control remains fundamental to unlocking the full potential of the blue economy, particularly in a region where the majority of ships calling at ports are foreign-flagged rather than locally owned.

Oyetola explained that the Bureau of Ministers would review and endorse the records of the 15th Port State Control Committee Meeting to ensure that officers are well empowered to fulfil their statutory duties.

He reiterated that the Abuja MoU must continue to act as a catalyst for safer shipping practices, stronger compliance, and deeper technical cooperation among member states.

He assured that Nigeria remains ready to share its expertise and collaborate on initiatives aimed at improving the effectiveness of port state control in West and Central Africa and underscored the need to strengthen the Abuja MoU Secretariat, calling on member states to meet their financial obligations and demonstrate readiness to host its programmes.

“These contributions are vital to sustaining the secretariat’s efficiency and ensuring that it can effectively coordinate regional efforts,” he said.