Marine, Blue Economy Ministry Launches Digital Platform To Enhance Transparency
By Stella Enenche, Abuja
Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has launched an Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) to deepen transparency, efficiency and accountability in the management of the nation’s marine and blue economy sector.
The digital platform was unveiled on Wednesday in Abuja by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, alongside the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, at the Ministry’s Fourth Quarter 2025 Stakeholders and Citizens Engagement
The forum, which attracted regulators, private sector operators, investors, development partners and other stakeholders, was themed:“Positioning Nigeria’s Marine and Blue Economy for Investment, Innovation and Expansion: The Pathway.”
Dr. Oyetola described the engagement as a critical step in repositioning the marine and blue economy as a major driver of economic diversification, growth and global competitiveness.
He said the forum was designed to strengthen transparency, accountability and collaboration in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking on the ECMS, the Minister said the platform would improve records management, streamline workflows and enhance decision-making across the Ministry.
According to him, the system will also strengthen service delivery to investors, operators and partners in the sector.
“A digitally enabled Ministry is a more responsive Ministry. The ECMS will help us improve efficiency, transparency and integrity while supporting stakeholders with speed and clarity,” Oyetola said.
Highlighting the sector’s potential, the Minister noted that Nigeria’s long coastline, vast inland waterways and strategic location offer opportunities in maritime trade, fisheries, aquaculture, logistics and tourism, with significant implications for job creation and inclusive growth.
He disclosed that local fish production increased from 1.1 million metric tonnes to 1.4 million metric tonnes over the past year, attributing the growth to targeted interventions, better coordination and technology deployment, while acknowledging that the figure still falls short of national consumption needs.
Oyetola also revealed that the Ministry has begun discussions with financial institutions to provide single digit interest loans for fishermen nationwide, aimed at boosting productivity, expanding access to finance and curbing illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
On the international front, he said Nigeria’s election into Category C of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and its emergence as Chairman of the Conference of Ministers of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea reflect renewed global confidence in the country’s maritime governance and policy reforms.
He added that the Ministry’s reform efforts have earned national recognition, citing a 96 per cent performance rating by the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit (CRDCU), positive assessments by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), and recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics ranking water transportation among the top five fastest-growing sectors of the economy.
In her remarks, Mrs. Walson-Jack commended the Ministry for its reform agenda and described the ECMS as a major step toward paperless governance in the public service.
She said the platform would strengthen institutional memory, reduce bureaucracy and align the Ministry with the Federal Civil Service’s digital transformation drive.
Stakeholders at the event reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the growth and sustainability of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy.
