Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, has been appointed by the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC) to lead the development of a regional marine and blue economy policy aimed at strengthening maritime security, sustainable ocean governance and economic cooperation among nine member states.
The appointment was disclosed in Abuja on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following a meeting between Oyetola and the Commission’s Deputy Executive Secretary, Ambassador Obinna Agbugba, who conveyed the decision on behalf of Executive Secretary José Mba Abeso.
Agbugba commended Oyetola for spearheading Nigeria’s national marine and blue economy policy, describing the country’s framework as an important foundation for the Commission’s regional initiative. He also expressed confidence in the minister’s ability to lead the process.
Oyetola thanked the Commission for the confidence placed in him, saying Nigeria remained committed to regional cooperation, sustainable ocean governance and shared prosperity across the Gulf of Guinea.
The minister disclosed that the Commission had formally requested his leadership in a letter dated May 7, 2026. In response, his ministry established a multi-stakeholder technical committee to develop two documents: a draft Strategic Plan for 2026–2030 and a draft Policy Framework and Strategy Template.
The documents were developed with reference to the 2025 Yaoundé Declaration and United Nations Task Force guidelines.
Oyetola presented the drafts to Agbugba and proposed a dedicated steering committee, with his ministry serving as secretariat, to coordinate consultations and secure the participation of all nine member states.
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The Commission comprises Angola, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria and São Tomé and Príncipe. Established in July 2001, it is headquartered in Luanda, Angola.
The proposed regional framework is expected to provide a common direction for sustainable use of marine resources, maritime cooperation and efforts to address shared security threats.
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