Diri Urges Coastal States To Drive Nigeria’s Blue Economy, Appoints Transaction Adviser For Agge Deep Seaport
Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has called on Nigeria's coastal states to harness their vast maritime and aquatic resources to accelerate the growth of the nation's marine and blue economy, stressing that the country's expansive coastline presents enormous opportunities for sustainable economic development.
The governor also announced the appointment of a Transaction Adviser for the proposed Agge Deep Seaport, describing the move as a significant step toward transforming the project into a viable investment destination.
Diri made the remarks on Thursday while delivering the keynote address at the 2nd Quarter 2026 Citizens/Stakeholders' Engagement organised by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. The event was themed: "Sub-National Leadership in Advancing Nigeria's Maritime and Blue Economy: The Bayelsa Experience and Pathways for Coastal State Development."
According to the governor, Nigeria's more than 850-kilometre coastline is largely situated within the country's coastal states, making it imperative for them to move beyond being passive beneficiaries to becoming active drivers of the blue economy.
To achieve this, he proposed five strategic pathways for collaboration among coastal states. These include establishing dedicated ministries or agencies for marine and blue economy with adequate political and financial backing, enacting state-specific blue economy laws aligned with national policy, securing and mapping maritime domains while strengthening coastal security and ocean data systems, developing maritime skills and modern fish processing infrastructure, and integrating coastal producers into national and global value chains.
Governor Diri noted that Bayelsa became the first state in Nigeria to establish a full-fledged Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in 2024, following the creation of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy by President Bola Tinubu in 2023.
"To ignore the Blue Economy in Bayelsa would be to ignore Bayelsa itself. That is why, following the initiative of the Federal Government, Bayelsa is not merely a state with a bespoke ministry; we are a national model for how to institutionalise and mainstream the Blue Economy at the sub-national level," he said.
Highlighting the state's progress, Diri identified the Agge Deep Seaport as one of Bayelsa's flagship projects, describing it as more than a port but a gateway to regional trade, logistics, industrialisation, fisheries exports and deeper integration within the Gulf of Guinea.
He disclosed that the state government had appointed a Transaction Adviser for the project and that work had progressed to the inception report stage. He also expressed appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and other relevant federal agencies for their support, expressing optimism that continued collaboration would move the Agge Deep Seaport from vision to a bankable reality.
The governor further revealed that Bayelsa was in the final stages of enacting its Blue Economy Law, which he said would provide legal certainty for investors, protect marine ecosystems and safeguard the rights of coastal communities.
"We are currently finalising the Bayelsa State Blue Economy Law. This legislation will provide certainty for investment, protect our ecosystems, and enshrine the rights of coastal communities. Investors do not gamble where the law is silent," he stated.
On investment opportunities, Diri said the state had begun translating its vision into tangible projects, particularly in fisheries and aquaculture through the operationalisation of the Bayelsa Aquaculture Village at Yenegwe.
The 127-hectare facility, according to him, is designed to serve as a major production, training and enterprise hub, featuring a hatchery capable of producing over three million fingerlings per production cycle, 500 grow-out ponds measuring 20 by 50 metres each, and a feed mill with the capacity to produce up to 20 tonnes of fish feed daily.
Declaring the engagement open, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, said the successful implementation of the National Blue Economy Policy last year marked a significant milestone in unlocking the country's maritime potential.
He noted that while the policy provides a strategic framework for harnessing Nigeria's ocean resources, inland waterways and coastal assets, its success depends on active collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments, the private sector and development partners in advancing President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda.
Also speaking, President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, represented by the Managing Director of Dangote Ports Operations, Mr. Simon Akin Omole, said Nigeria's blue economy should no longer be defined by its potential but by the collective commitment to unlock its immense opportunities.
He stressed that the decisions taken today would determine whether future generations inherit a coastline of untapped promise or a globally competitive maritime economy capable of driving investment, industrialisation and shared prosperity.
The event attracted key stakeholders across the maritime sector, including representatives of the governors of Akwa Ibom, Ondo and Borno states, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Marine and Blue Economy, Senator Wasiu Sanni, as well as senior government officials and industry leaders.
Governor Diri was accompanied by the Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Faith Izibenua-Godwin; the Commissioners for Information and Environment, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai and Hon. Ben Ololo; the General Manager of the Bayelsa Housing and Property Development Authority, Hon. Tonye Isenah; and former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Chief Ndutimi Alaibe.
