Nigeria Must Change How It Relates With Ocean, IOI Director Tells Stakeholders
The Director of the International Ocean Institute (IOI) Nigeria Centre, Akanbi Williams, has called for a fundamental change in the way Nigerians perceive, use and manage the country’s ocean resources.
Williams made the call at a forum in Lagos commemorating the 2026 World Ocean Day, organised by the IOI Nigeria Centre on June 9.
He urged Nigeria to move beyond seeing the ocean primarily as a source of economic resources and begin treating it as an asset that must be protected for future generations.
With the theme, “Reimagine: Beyond the World We Know, A New Relationship with Our Ocean,” the celebration focused attention on the need for a new approach to ocean governance, conservation and development.
According to Williams, Nigeria’s long coastline and abundant marine resources present enormous opportunities for sustainable fisheries, maritime transportation, renewable energy, tourism, marine biotechnology, coastal resilience and job creation.
He, however, warned that these opportunities could be lost if exploitation continues without adequate protection of the marine environment.
Williams described the ocean as a foundation of life on Earth, noting that it regulates the climate, supports biodiversity, provides food and livelihoods and contributes significantly to economic growth.
He said pollution, destruction of marine habitats, overexploitation of resources, climate change and unsustainable development practices were placing increasing pressure on the ocean.
For Nigeria, Williams stressed that protecting the ocean should no longer be viewed solely as an environmental responsibility.
“Reimagining our relationship with the ocean is not merely an environmental necessity; it is an economic imperative and a national development priority,” he said.
He explained that the IOI Nigeria Centre had chosen “Reimagining the Blue Economy: Achieving Sustainable Prosperity with the Ocean” as the sub-theme of its public lecture to stimulate discussions on how Nigeria could harness its marine wealth without destroying the ecosystems that sustain it.
Williams also drew attention to the role of young Nigerians in protecting the ocean, particularly participants in the #JuneOceanActionChallenge2026, whose activities formed part of the celebration.
He commended the young participants for taking practical steps towards ocean sustainability, saying their involvement demonstrated that protecting the ocean was not the responsibility of governments and environmental organisations alone.
“Every action matters, and every voice counts,” he told the youths.
The IOI director called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, researchers, coastal communities, development partners, private organisations and young people to build a sustainable blue economy.
He said Nigeria should aspire to a future where economic growth does not undermine the health of marine ecosystems, scientific knowledge informs policy, coastal communities benefit fairly from ocean resources and future generations inherit a productive and resilient ocean.
Williams also expressed appreciation to the institute’s long-standing and new partners, organisations, government departments and other stakeholders for their continued participation in its programmes.
He urged participants to use the World Ocean Day celebration as an opportunity to move from conversation to action, stressing that Nigeria’s future prosperity could be closely tied to how responsibly it manages its ocean resources.
“Together, let us reimagine our future and build a new relationship with our ocean; one founded on respect, responsibility, sustainability and shared prosperity,” Williams said.
By Innocent Onoh
