As Nigeria mulls methods of diversifying its economy, Dr Bashir Jamoh, Director-general, Nigeria Maritime and Safety Agency, NIMASA, says the company is working in direction of making blue economy Nigeria’s main source of revenue.
Mr Jamoh made this identified whereas talking with journalists on the sideline of the three-day Nigeria-Netherlands Economic Consultation holding in Abuja from June 6 to June 8.
The Economic Consultation facilitated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeks to modify the already current commerce treaty between Nigeria and the Netherlands to increase financial cooperation.
Mr Jamoh stated that NIMASA is driving insurance policies that might allow Nigeria discover from the over 2.5 trillion-dollar value of ocean assets that the world has.
The NIMASA DG stated that collaborating with the Netherlands as a maritime nation would allow Nigeria obtain this objective for mutual advantages.
“We are seeing what we can explore from the over 2.5 trillion-dollar worth of ocean resources that we have.
“If oceans were to be an economy, it would be the seventh largest in the world just followed by Britain and next to Brazil.
“The Netherlands being a member of the council reelected in 2021, they have one of the largest ports in Europe and one of the largest in the world if you exclude Asia.
“The resources in our own oceans and seas are an economy that cannot be ignored.
“I have looked at the trade relationship between Nigeria and the Netherlands, the major components used to be petroleum, fish, and milk. So also, the exports between Nigeria and the Netherlands.
“The amount of export from Nigeria to Netherlands amount to about 2.63 billion as at 2021, while from the Netherlands to Nigeria upon 4.58 million. But in so doing, what is the contribution and the percentage of our oceans.
“Inspite of the fact that we have 853km of our own coastal line, we have about 10,000 kilometers of our inland water ways and all these, the resources in this have a lot of potentials of building both economies,” Mr Jamoh stated.
Mr Jamoh stated that now’s the time for the Netherlands to develop its maritime ties with Nigeria following the latest approval by the National Assembly which might permit NIMASA disburse 700 million {dollars} for ship growth in Nigeria.
He additionally referred to as for elevated capability constructing between each international locations to proceed to develop the human assets on the sector.
This can be as Mr Jamoh lamented Nigeria grappling with only one maritime college as in contrast to Netherlands, a rustic smaller than Nigeria having six maritime universities.
NAN
