Nigeria faces critical ocean governance test ahead of Kenya summit

Nigeria is betting on the blue economy as a new engine of growth, but environmental experts warn that deteriorating coastal ecosystems, weak ocean governance, and climate impacts could undermine those ambitions. Ahead of the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, DARE AKOGUN explores the environmental realities facing Nigeria’s coastline and what the country must do to transform ocean wealth into sustainable prosperity As world leaders, policymakers, scientists, and environmental advocates prepare to gather in Mombasa, Kenya, for the 11th Our Ocean Conference, Nigeria is coming under increasing pressure to align its growing blue-economy ambitions with the realities facing millions of people living along its fragile coastline. The conference, scheduled for June 16 to 18, 2026, will be the first edition of the global ocean summit hosted on African soil. Under the theme, “Our Ocean, Our Heritage, Our Future,” the gathering is expected to focus on marine conservation, climate resilience, sustainable fisheries, maritime security, ocean pollution, and the future of the global blue economy. For Nigeria, however, the discussions expected in Mombasa extend far beyond diplomatic commitments and international declarations. They mirror challenges already unfolding across coastal communities from Lagos to Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, and Akwa Ibom, where environmental degradation, climate impacts, and weak governance structures continue to threaten livelihoods and ecosystem stability. The conference comes at a time when Nigeria is aggressively promoting the blue economy as a new frontier for economic growth. Since the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in 2023, the Federal Government has repeatedly emphasised plans to expand investments in fisheries, shipping, coastal tourism, renewable energy, and maritime infrastructure as part of broader economic diversification efforts. According to the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the sector remains critical to trade, food security, employment generation, and economic competitiveness, with more than 90 per cent of Nigeria’s international trade transported through maritime channels. Minister Adegboyega Oyetola recently stressed that the sector occupies a strategic position within Nigeria’s economic future, highlighting its role in transport efficiency, fisheries development, and sustainable economic growth. Yet environmental experts argue that the success of Nigeria’s blue economy agenda will ultimately depend on how effectively the country addresses the growing environmental and soc