Tinubu Declares Nigerian Waters Piracy-Free, Advocates Stronger African Blue Economy Partnership
By Sarah Kitka
Nigeria President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday declared that Africa must move from “sea blindness” to “ocean sovereignty,” positioning maritime governance and security as critical foundations for unlocking the continent’s blue economy potential.
Speaking at the High-Level Roundtable on Maritime Sovereignty and Ocean Governance during the Africa Forward Summit 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya, President Tinubu said Nigeria had transformed its maritime strategy from one focused largely on threats to one centred on economic opportunity, regional security, and investment.
“For too long, ‘sea blindness’ has meant that we have looked upon the vast waters under our jurisdiction as voids, or simply as sources of threat,” the President said. “Nigeria is here to tell a different story: our maritime domain is a sovereign territory, and its governance must be asserted, resourced, and institutionalised.”
President Tinubu also disclosed that piracy incidents had been eliminated within Nigerian waters following sustained investments in maritime security infrastructure under the country’s Deep Blue Project.
According to him, the initiative deployed an integrated network of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets, including command-and-control centres, special mission vessels, fast intervention boats, and aerial platforms.
“The global maritime community has acknowledged the elimination of piracy incidents within Nigerian waters and the substantial reduction of attacks across the Gulf of Guinea,” he stated.
The President stressed that maritime sovereignty is an economic imperative for Africa’s future, insisting that secure sea lanes and predictable regulatory frameworks are essential for attracting private investment into the blue economy sector.
He further highlighted Nigeria’s recent institutional reforms, including the establishment of a dedicated Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, describing the move as evidence that ocean governance has become a central pillar of national policy.
President Tinubu called for deeper regional coordination among Gulf of Guinea nations, warning that maritime crime cannot be effectively tackled by countries acting in isolation.
“As we endorse the Nairobi Declaration, Nigeria affirms that maritime sovereignty and ocean governance are the non-negotiable foundations of Africa’s Blue Economy transformation,” he said.
He concluded by urging African nations to treat ocean governance as a generational responsibility, declaring that “the oceans have no duplicate as a common heritage of mankind.”
