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Unlocking Nigeria’s Blue Economy: Strategies for Bridging Human Resource Gaps for Sustainable Maritime Development

Adewale Bashir Adebayo, Idowu Tosin Adebayo

Abstract

Boasting an extensive coastline and network of inland waters, Nigeria possesses immense potential within the blue economy. For coastal sub-nationals (such as Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, and the Niger Delta region), this marine frontier offers a strategic pathway to pivot away from oil dependency toward a diversified, resilient developmental paradigm. This study evaluates mechanisms for addressing manpower deficits to catalyze sustainable advancement in Nigeria's maritime ecosystem. Utilizing a qualitative analytical framework, the paper highlights critical bottlenecks, including defective policy execution, ecological damage, data shortages, and specialized skills deficits. The assessment reveals that despite the ratification of the National Marine and Blue Economy Policy (2025), localized implementation remains weak. Consequently, systemic investments in human capital development, institutional fortification, and regulatory compliance are imperative to unlock the sector's value. The study advocates for aggressive capacity building, expanded oceanographic research, and modernized governance architectures.

Keywords

Blue economyHuman capitalMaritime sectorSustainable development.

References

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