The Federal Government has expressed its readiness to partner with Norway to strengthen surveillance of Nigerian waters and combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, gave the assurance on October 12, 2026, during a meeting with Norway’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Svein Baera, in Abuja.
The proposed collaboration will enable Nigeria to access satellite-based vessel-tracking information through Norway’s Blue Justice Ocean Surveillance Programme. The initiative provides participating countries with real-time and historical Automatic Identification System data to monitor vessel movements and identify suspicious maritime activities.
Baera invited Nigeria to join the Blue Community, a network of countries using the programme to strengthen maritime surveillance and tackle illegal fishing and other maritime crimes.
Oyetola welcomed the initiative, saying improved surveillance and intelligence sharing would help authorities identify vessels suspected of exploiting Nigeria’s fisheries resources.
He expressed concern that foreign operators illegally harvest fish from Nigerian waters before returning the products to the country for sale at high prices. He said the practice undermines local fishing businesses, threatens fish stocks and deprives Nigeria of economic benefits.
The minister added that the government was working to increase domestic fish production, create jobs, reduce dependence on imports and conserve foreign exchange.
The partnership could strengthen Nigeria’s ability to detect illegal fishing activities. However, its effectiveness will depend on how quickly authorities investigate suspicious vessels and enforce existing fisheries regulations.
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