Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations has disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has invited the People’s Republic of China to partner with Nigeria through the deployment and exchange of geophysical data across the country’s nautical domain to unlock the vast potential of the blue economy.

The Mission said the proposal places emphasis on strategic partnership, technology transfer and data-driven collaboration rather than traditional development assistance.

The disclosure was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Office of Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York following a keynote address delivered by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, at the United Nations Sustainable Development Workshop on High-quality Development of the Marine Economy in Beijing, China.

Representing President Tinubu at the event, Ibrahim said Nigeria’s vision is to leverage geophysical intelligence, marine research and innovation to accelerate sustainable economic growth and position the country among the world’s leading blue economy nations.

According to the envoy, the President’s invitation to China is driven by the belief that access to geophysical and oceanographic data would yield greater long-term economic benefits than reliance on foreign aid.

“President Bola Tinubu is offering China an open invitation for partnership through geophysical data and innovation rather than aid. The future prosperity of nations lies in harnessing the immense wealth of the oceans through knowledge, technology and strategic cooperation,” Ibrahim said.

He commended China for its leadership in advancing the global blue economy and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation in maritime development.

Ibrahim noted that the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy by the Tinubu administration underscores the country’s determination to maximise economic opportunities within its maritime resources.

He also called on the international community to embrace innovation, artificial intelligence, sustainable financing and stronger global partnerships to unlock the enormous potential of the marine economy.

The envoy further advocated innovative financing mechanisms to support developing countries in building resilient blue economy infrastructure and promoting sustainable ocean governance.

According to the statement, Ibrahim reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to collaborate with China and other international partners in advancing a prosperous and sustainable global marine economy.

He therefore called for urgent action, declaring: “The future is here; doing nothing is NOT an option.”