Nigeria may be losing out on one of the world’s fastest-growing economic frontiers as engineers have warned that policy inertia, outdated infrastructure and slow adoption of modern maritime technology are putting the country at risk of missing the global blue-economy boom.
This was contained in a communiqué presented to journalists by the NSE President, Margaret Aina Oguntala, after the 58th International Engineering Conference organised by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE). The five-day conference took place in Ibadan, Oyo State.
At the conference, the engineering experts said Nigeria is “moving far too slowly” to tap the trillions of dollars emerging from ocean-based industries.
They noted that major coastal nations are expanding their blue-economy footprints through strategic investments in digitalisation, port automation, ocean-data systems, renewable marine energy and sustainable coastal management, areas in which Nigeria continues to lag.
The engineers described the blue economy as the “next continental goldmine,” covering fisheries, maritime transport, offshore hydrocarbons, shipbuilding, aquaculture, biotechnology, coastal tourism, marine minerals and blue-carbon markets.
They warned that the absence of coherent policies, weak coordination among agencies and poor digital infrastructure threaten Nigeria’s ability to secure a competitive position.
Participants expressed concern that most Nigerian ports still operate with manual processes that slow cargo clearance, create revenue leakages and discourage international shippers seeking efficiency and transparency.
According to them, Nigeria lacks the modern vessel-tracking systems, digital hydrographic tools, ocean-monitoring sensors, smart coastal surveillance and integrated maritime data platforms that are standard in countries thriving on blue-economy investments.
They also highlighted Nigeria’s failure to create incentives for ocean-technology innovations and marine-engineering solutions that could unlock value from coastal tourism, ports, fisheries and offshore resources.
While industries elsewhere are deploying artificial intelligence, satellite imaging, robotics and autonomous vessels to expand marine wealth, Nigeria, they said, has yet to build the enabling environment for such growth.
On security, the experts warned that limited technological capacity undermines Nigeria’s ability to combat illegal fishing, oil theft, piracy and environmental degradation – factors that erode investor confidence and deter international partners.
They argued that strengthening maritime security with digital surveillance and real-time monitoring will be key to sustaining any long-term blue-economy expansion.
The engineers urged the Federal Government to adopt a clear national blue-economy framework backed by measurable targets, strong regulatory reform and investments in digital infrastructure.
They also recommended the establishment of an integrated ocean-data governance system that brings together ports, coastal states, security agencies, research institutions and private operators.
Beyond policy frameworks, they called for massive capacity-building programmes to equip Nigerian engineers, scientists and port professionals with modern ocean-technology skills.
Universities and polytechnics, they said, should expand programmes in marine engineering, oceanography, coastal science and blue-economy innovation to avoid human-capital deficits in emerging sectors.
“Time is running out. If Nigeria does not urgently embrace technology, improve policy coherence and invest in ocean-based innovation, the blue-economy boom will pass us by,” the engineers said.
