NIOMR: Responsible Ocean Management Key to Nigeria’s Sustainable Economic Future
Responsible management of Nigeria’s ocean and marine resources has been identified as a critical pathway to achieving genuine and sustainable economic development.
The Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR) made the submission at the 2026 commemoration of World Ocean Day in Lagos.
The event, organised jointly by NIOMR and the International Ocean Institute (IOI), Nigeria Centre, was held under the theme: “Reimagine: Beyond the World We Know, A New Relationship with Our Ocean.”
Represented by the Institute’s Director of Research, Dr. Olajumoke Edun, the NIOMR Chief Executive said Nigeria could not maximise the economic opportunities offered by its oceans and coastal resources without putting environmental sustainability at the centre of development.
She said the growing global challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, marine pollution and increasing competition for ocean resources made it necessary for Nigeria to rethink its relationship with the ocean.
According to her, the ocean should not be viewed merely as a source of resources to be exploited, but as a vital ecosystem whose health directly affects livelihoods, food security, employment, transportation and the wider economy.
She stressed that ocean stewardship was not the responsibility of government and research institutions alone.
“It is a shared responsibility that requires the active involvement of every citizen, especially the next generation of leaders, scientists, innovators, and policymakers.”
The NIOMR management said the message was particularly important as Nigeria increasingly looks to the Blue Economy as a strategy for diversifying the economy and creating new opportunities for sustainable growth.
The Institute noted that healthy oceans could support prosperous communities when marine resources are properly managed, science is allowed to guide policy, and economic activities are carried out without destroying the ecosystems on which future generations depend.
20 Years of Ocean Partnership
The World Ocean Day celebration also highlighted the longstanding partnership between NIOMR and the International Ocean Institute Nigeria Centre.
The IOI Nigeria Centre was established in 2002 and is located within NIOMR. Since 2009, both institutions have jointly commemorated World Ocean Day as a platform for dialogue, public awareness, advocacy and action on issues affecting Nigeria’s marine and coastal environment.
The collaboration has focused on areas including ocean governance, marine scientific research, capacity development, ocean literacy and sustainable management of ocean resources.
NIOMR said the partnership had become even more relevant as Nigeria seeks to strengthen its position in the emerging Blue Economy.
It called for increased investment in marine science, stronger human and institutional capacity, ecosystem-based management, marine biodiversity conservation, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, as well as greater public understanding of the importance of the ocean.
The Institute also emphasised the need for Nigeria to contribute more actively to regional and global ocean initiatives, including the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030).
Young Nigerians at the Centre
The celebration also provided an opportunity to showcase the contributions of young people through the #JuneActionOceanChallenge2026.
The NIOMR management said the involvement of young people was essential to building a new relationship with the ocean, stressing that the next generation would inherit both the opportunities and environmental consequences of decisions being made today.
It therefore urged Nigerians to move beyond simply celebrating the ocean and begin taking practical steps to protect it.
The Institute reaffirmed its commitment to working with government agencies, research institutions, civil society, communities and other stakeholders to advance ocean science, responsible ocean governance and sustainable Blue Economy development.
It stressed that Nigeria’s ocean wealth can become a powerful engine of economic development only when exploitation is matched with responsibility, science and long-term environmental protection.
This version is more human-centred, punchy and broadcast-friendly, while keeping the original substance.
By Innocent Onoh
