Nigeria At 65: MARCON Stages Come Back , Urges Coastal Communities To Power Blue Economy Revolution
As Nigeria celebrates 65 years of nationhood, the Maritime Correspondents Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) is sounding a clarion call for coastal communities to take center stage in the nation’s burgeoning blue economy.
Applauding President Bola Tinubu’s bold creation of a ministry dedicated to marine and blue economy and the visionary 10-year policy roadmap, MARCON highlights a critical disconnect between federal agencies and coastal states that must be bridged to unlock enormous economic potential.
In a powerful joint statement by MARCON’s leadership, the organisation demands inclusive quarterly stakeholder meetings—bringing together government, traditional rulers, and local experts—to supercharge marine sustainability, maritime safety, and grassroots job creation.
MARCON envisions generating 100,000 new maritime jobs annually through vibrant activities like fishing, boat building, life jacket production, and coastal security.
Touting Nigeria as a sleeping maritime giant rich with growing ports and jetties, MARCON insists it’s high time for mass maritime skills training and active community roles in monitoring offshore activities.
With urgent state-level commitment, Nigeria can transform its coastal heritage into a robust economic engine, driving a diversified future anchored by the blue economy.
MARCON further described the target of 100,000 yearly job creation through the maritime sector as easily realisable only if the federal government and it’s agencies close gaps with states to explore untapped opportunities in fishing; boat building and repairs; local production of quality life jackets and other marine essentials.
Describing Nigeria as a country with growing numbers of viable ports and jetties, the organisation called for mass maritime training on coxswain, fish processing, rescue operations for locals in case of emergencies and greater community participation in maritime security, especially closer monitoring of innocent passage and suspicious vessel movement along the coasts.
“Beyond looking forward to federal allocations, state governments with marine endowments must as a matter of economic urgency, key into the blue economy agenda with a view to expanding their citizens’ participation in the policy, which serves as Nigeria’s low hanging fruit for economic diversification,” the statement noted.
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