The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has charged agencies within his ministry to align and prioritise their 2025 budget to ensure massive and impactful development.

Oyetola, who gave the charge in a statement by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Mrs Anastasia Ogbonna, said the budget must be in line with the pillars of the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy and the 2021-2025 National Development Plan.

The minister urged the agencies to consider their 2025 budget to demonstrate transparency, fiscal prudence, and strategic prioritisation.

He said: “Our fiscal strategy must reflect the ambitions outlined in our policy framework. We are tasked with ensuring that every Naira allocated delivers a measurable impact.

“I hope that the 2025 budget will not only provide for the immediate needs of the ministry/agencies, but also serve as a catalyst for sustainable marine resource management and long-term national economic growth,” he said.

He expressed optimism that the budget would further consolidate the plan of the ministry to develop Nigeria’s marine and blue economy potentials.

He said that the marine and blue economy sector held unparalleled potentials for national development, as it provided a sustainable platform for economic growth, job creation and environmental stewardship.

He added that attaining these goals was in alignment with the key priority areas of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu as it related to marine and blue economy.

Oyetola said that resources should be channelled towards strengthening maritime domain through investments in surveillance systems, operations and enforcement of maritime laws.

He said that there was a need to enhance capacity in aquaculture, fishing ports and curbing illegal and unregulated fishing activities in the sector.

According to him, other priority areas such as promoting oceanographic research, stock assessment, renewable marine energy and climate resilience technologies should equally be on the front burner of the agencies.

Oyetola said that the drafted National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy remained the roadmap that would guide collective efforts towards the sustainable management of marine resources.

He said the roadmap would also guide climate adaptation, technological innovation and enhanced governance in the sector.

The agencies represented include: Nigeria Ports Authority, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, National Inland Waterways, Nigerian Shippers’ Council.

Others were, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, Nigeria Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, National Institute for Freshwater Fisheries Research, Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology and the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology.