Nigeria Blue Economy Crisis worsens as stakeholders label lagoons as world’s worst marine dumpsites. Experts urge urgent reforms and sustainable ocean governance

Nigeria Blue Economy Crisis has taken a disturbing turn, as maritime experts now rank the country’s lagoons—especially Tarkwa-Bay and Bonny among the world’s most polluted marine zones.

Also read: Nigeria’s Blue Economy Policy Faces Urgent Wake-Up Call Amid Missed Opportunities

This stark reality was laid bare in Apapa, Lagos, during an Executive Course on the Blue Economy for media professionals, organized by the Nigerian Navy International Maritime Institute of Nigeria (IMION).

Retired Rear Admiral Francis Dan Akpan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Maritime Security Practitioners Association of Nigeria, presented a sobering report titled “Introduction to the Blue Economy.”

He stated that, unlike other nations leveraging marine resources for economic growth, Nigeria remains paralyzed by pollution and policy inaction.

“Tarkwa Bay is now the highest marine dumpsite on earth,” Akpan declared. “Bonny comes next. Meanwhile, active ferry systems like Paris’ Seine River have over 50 boats daily. Our own waterways are abandoned.”

He blamed Nigeria’s worsening Blue Economy crisis on environmental mismanagement and “sea blindness”—a term used to describe the nation’s failure to recognize and utilize its maritime assets sustainably.

Supporting this view, Mrs. Funke Agbor (SAN), President of the Nigerian Maritime Law Association, commended the recent National Policy on Blue Economy but warned that implementation is lacking.

“Nigeria is a blessed coastal nation ignoring its maritime treasure,” she said.

Rear Admiral Thaddeus Udofia (retd), IMION Director General, emphasized that oceans not only support ecosystems and economies but are increasingly strained by neglect, pollution, and climate change.

He called on the media to be environmental watchdogs. “Your voice is critical. Use it to push public awareness and influence national policy,” Udofia urged.

Godfrey Bivbere, President of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria, praised the training as a powerful knowledge-sharing platform.

He highlighted the need for continuous collaboration between journalists and maritime authorities to promote ocean sustainability, national security, and economic progress.

Also read: The role of technology in growing blue economy

As the Nigeria Blue Economy Crisis escalates, stakeholders agree: only sustained action, transparency, and public engagement can prevent further decline.