Maritime Stakeholders Seek Government Intervention to Curb Transnational Crime, Piracy

Maritime stakeholders have advised the government to tackle piracy, illegal fishing, interstate disputes, and transnational crime in order for the country to enjoy the $2.5tn blue economy.

They said Nigeria must also address other challenges, such as the smuggling of arms and narcotics, among other multifaceted threats to maritime security.

The stakeholders disclosed this in Lagos, at the 2024 International Maritime Organisation World Maritime Day celebration.

Speaking at the event, the guest speaker and the Chairman of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, Prof Larry Awosika, advised that ensuring safe, secure, energy-efficient, and low-carbon maritime transport is essential for the sustainable exploitation of marine resources.

“Unsustainable maritime practices, including security and environmental degradation, pose significant threats to marine-based industries,” he stated.

Awosika laid out a vision where the blue economy, which encompasses fishing, resource extraction, marine transportation, ecosystem health, and tourism, can thrive only through a foundation of maritime security.

He further expressed concern that investment in marine exploration and tourism could be undermined by such security threats, affecting both national and global economies.

Punch/Hauwa Abu