From left: Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola; former Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Jim Ovia; Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Chairman of BUA Group, Mr. Abdul Samad Rabiu, at the Africa Forward Summit held Monday in Nairobi, Kenya.

Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, in his bid to promote the sector, took the country’s Blue Economy campaign to a continental audience at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.

The landmark summit, co-hosted by the Kenyan President, William Ruto and the French President, Emmanuel Macron, was held under the theme: “Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth.”

The Minister optimised the opportunity provided by the summit, as he joined in a high-level panel discussion on: “Blue Economy — Maritime Sovereignty & Sustainable Valorisation.”

From left: Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola and French Minister of the Sea and Fisheries, Catherine Chabaud at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.

Notable among the Panel Discussants was the French Minister of the Sea and Fisheries, Catherine Chabaud, alongside other distinguished maritime stakeholders across the Africa continent.

The summit brought together African leaders, policymakers, investors and development partners to advance discussions on innovation, economic growth and strategic partnerships across the continent.

Nigeria’s President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, joined fellow African leaders at the event, which has been widely regarded as a significant diplomatic and economic engagement marking a new phase in Africa-France relations, particularly as the first Africa-France summit hosted in an English-speaking, non-Francophone African country.

Recall that the Federal Government has continued to implement deliberate measures aimed at unlocking the vast potential of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy resources, including the creation of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in August 2023. Since its establishment, the Ministry has recorded notable milestones, including the development of Nigeria’s first National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, designed to provide a strategic framework for sustainable sectoral growth.

Available statistics show that agencies under the Ministry have also achieved record revenue performance, generating N1.83 trillion in the 2025 fiscal year. In addition, the Federal Government has approved a comprehensive port modernization and upgrade programme expected to attract larger vessels, expand employment opportunities and reinforce Nigeria’s position as the leading maritime hub for West and Central Africa.