Harnessing Nigeria’s Blue Economy potential requires collective efforts – IMION Director General

The Director General of the International Maritime Institute of Nigeria (IMION), Lagos, Rear Admiral Thaddeus Christopher Udofia (rtd), says the nation’s ocean is vast and its largely untapped resources hold the key to unlocking significant economic growth and prosperity to improving the livelihood of millions of people hence.

Rear Admiral Thaddeus Christopher Udofia said harnessing these vast ocean potential, which is called the blue economy, cannot be achieved by a single agency in isolation, but requires collective efforts and a coordinated collaboration amongst all relevant stakeholders.

IMION Director General stated this in his opening remarks at a recent two-day Executive Course organised by the institute for participants from the Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Institute of Management Technology and others in Lagos.

Udofia noted that the theme of the course – Maritime Security and Global Trade – was very apt and resonated deeply with the nation’s collective aspirations for sustainable development, economic growth, environmental stewardship as well as a secured maritime domain.

He explained that the gathering marked a significant stage in the nation’s collective journey towards unlocking the vast potential of the ocean resources while safeguarding their long term health.

The IMION boss further explained that the Executive Course was designed to fully actualise the mandate of the institute which aligns with the vision of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla,  towards achieving the goals of sustainable development for Nigeria by President Bola Tinubu.

He referred to the auspicious occasion as being a pivotal moment in the history of the nation, noting that, as the global population grows and climate change intensifies, pressure on marine and ocean resources becomes ever more acute.

This, he explained, presented the nation with a critical challenge but also an unprecedented opportunity, hence the reason for the Executive Course, designed to equip the participants with the knowledge and skills required to function as Leaders in the burgeoning fields.

He reminded the participants, of a very vital role the world’s ocean plays in shaping the global economy, noting that, with more than forty thousand ships navigating global oceans everyday with items ranging from raw materials to finished goods, such transported goods grow the maritime routes as a lifeblood of national commerce and economic prosperity.

“With the immense value this growth represents, comes the responsibility to protect the ever evolving threats as the one time President of the U.S. John F. Kennedy eloquently stated that, we choose to go to the moon this decade and do the other  things not because they are easy but because they are hard”.

He assured the course participants that unlocking the blue potential of the blue economy demands a collective commitment to tackle hard issues and that he explained, required effective inter – agency collaboration, coordination and cooperation as the Course was predicated on the understanding of the fact that, “alone one can do so little but together people can do so much”.

Rear Admiral Udofia (rtd) mentioned analysing the maritime security with focus on recognising its threat to global trade, identifying and assessing critical threats to maritime security with attempts to recognize and assess the various threats from piracy, terrorism, smuggling and geopolitical tensions among others.

The Director General alluded to the President Bola Tinubu’s vision regarding the blue economy as being worthy of commendations because under his administration, the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy was established with the aim and objective of achieving sustainable development, and that importance cannot be overemphasized.

He further stated that, with over seventy percent of the planet being covered by water, the oceans serve a critical role of regulating our climate, supporting biodiversity and providing livelihoods for millions of people around the world.

 The IMION boss expressed immense gratitude to the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, for his visionary leadership and continuous support to the International Maritime Institute of Nigeria, IMION and also to the esteemed participants, for their shared commitment towards advancing the blue economy and ensuring a sustainable future for the generations to come.

In his welcome address, the Executive Director of Administration of the Institute, Navy Commodore I.E Ahmed, explained that the institute was established on the first of June, 2024, by the Nigerian Navy, as a specialised institute with a mandate for capacity building, research and benchmarking, partnership as well as collaboration with key maritime stakeholders amongst others.

The objective of the Institute, he explained, is to enhance governance with Nigerian maritime guild of interest through capacity building, knowledge management, Stakeholders engagement and policy advocacy.