The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has received a formal letter of support from the Swiss government for Nigeria’s bid to secure the Category ‘C’ seat on the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the 2026/2027 biennium elections scheduled for October/November 2025.
The endorsement was presented to the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, H.E. Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, during a courtesy visit by Switzerland’s Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Patrick Felix Egloff, on Thursday. Oyetola described the support as a testament to the Nigerian government’s dedication to upholding international maritime standards and said it would strengthen Nigeria’s position in promoting a sustainable global maritime industry.
Highlighting Nigeria’s strategic maritime assets, Oyetola noted that the country possesses 200 nautical miles of exclusive economic zone, recently extended by an additional 16,300 kilometres to the Continental Shelf. He added that a robust National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, developed in collaboration with the World Bank, AU IBAR, and the Kingdom of Norway, positions Nigeria to fully leverage its maritime potential.
The Minister also emphasized the government’s Public-Private Partnership model to accelerate maritime development, citing investments in inland waterways, dredging activities, and navigation infrastructure. He pointed to the success of the Deep Blue Project, a maritime surveillance initiative that has maintained piracy-free waters in Nigeria for the past three years, with efforts underway to extend safety measures to the Gulf of Guinea.
Ambassador Egloff expressed Switzerland’s confidence in Nigeria’s candidacy, praising its commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation in the maritime sector. With this endorsement, Nigeria’s campaign for the IMO Category ‘C’ seat gains significant international traction ahead of the upcoming elections.
