In commemoration of this year’s “Africa Day of Seas and Oceans”, Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku In Peterside,  who doubles as Chairman of the Association of African Maritime Administrators, AAMA, has disclosed that Africa seas and oceans have huge economic opportunities that can take the continent to the next level.

He expressed his belief that African oceans and seas are economic infrastructure, necessitating the need for stakeholders in the sector to work together to realize the opportunities embedded in the sector.

In his words ““It is a well-known fact that Africa seas and oceans are usually overlooked when it comes to issues of sustainable development in Africa, to the extent that Africa is considered to be sea blind; sea blind because there is low level awareness of the potentials for wealth creation which abounds in the seas and oceans. This event therefore tends to show that our eyes are gradually being opened to the reality that our seas and oceans possess huge source of economic resources that can take the continent to the next level”,.

He also assured Stakeholders that NIMASA as the maritime regulatory Agency has considered it necessary to continue championing the awareness on Africa Integrated Maritime-Strategy and the Blue Economy through the Day of the seas and oceans and other sensitization programmes the Agency will still embark upon.

Dr. Dakuku Peterside also used the opportunity to inform participants that NIMASA is championing the passage of a dedicated anti-piracy law aimed at tackling piracy and all forms of illicit crimes on the nation’s waterways.

According to him “the desire of the government is to ensure cleaner oceans and to eliminate sea piracy, armed robbery and all forms of illegalities within Nigeria’s maritime space which is in line with the 2050 African Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS)”.

He further observed that our Seas and Oceans are our heritage and we must do all we can to protect it; pointing out that NIMASA will continue to work together with all relevant government agencies to ensure that our maritime sector is safe, clean and secured in order to continue to attract both local and foreign investors.

General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (Dr. Dakuku In Peterside, has disclosed that Africa seas and oceans have huge economic opportunities that can take the continent to the next level.

He expressed his belief that African oceans and seas are economic infrastructure, necessitating the need for stakeholders in the sector to work together to realize the opportunities embedded in the sector.

In his words ““It is a well-known fact that Africa seas and oceans are usually overlooked when it comes to issues of sustainable development in Africa, to the extent that Africa is considered to be sea blind; sea blind because there is low level awareness of the potentials for wealth creation which abounds in the seas and oceans. This event therefore tends to show that our eyes are gradually being opened to the reality that our seas and oceans possess huge source of economic resources that can take the continent to the next level”,.

He also assured Stakeholders that NIMASA as the maritime regulatory Agency has considered it necessary to continue championing the awareness on Africa Integrated Maritime-Strategy and the Blue Economy through the Day of the seas and oceans and other sensitization programmes the Agency will still embark upon.

Dr. Dakuku Peterside also used the opportunity to inform participants that NIMASA is championing the passage of a dedicated anti-piracy law aimed at tackling piracy and all forms of illicit crimes on the nation’s waterways.

According to him “the desire of the government is to ensure cleaner oceans and to eliminate sea piracy, armed robbery and all forms of illegalities within Nigeria’s maritime space which is in line with the 2050 African Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS)”.

He further observed that our Seas and Oceans are our heritage and we must do all we can to protect it; pointing out that NIMASA will continue to work together with all relevant government agencies to ensure that our maritime sector is safe, clean and secured in order to continue to attract both local and foreign investors.