By Steve Agbota
With its 852-kilometre coastline, Nigeria is a maritime nation. This extensive coastline along the Atlantic Ocean provides Nigeria with significant opportunities for maritime trade, resource exploitation, and other related activities, especially in the area of the marine tourism ecosystem.
More so, 28 out of the 36 Nigerian states happen to be littoral states, with 25 per cent of Nigeria’s total population sharing the Atlantic Ocean coastline. With all these, and coupled with over 200 million people and millions of foreigners, Nigeria has a tremendous advantage to make huge revenue from its maritime tourism subsector of its economy.
Despite various government agencies and news publications acknowledging the importance of maritime tourism to the Nigerian economy and the need to develop its potential, the resources embedded in this industry have been neglected.
Currently, the global maritime tourism business is worth over $6.45 trillion, with Nigeria losing out on the massive opportunities embedded in the industry due to the inability of successive governments to design and drive a coordinated policy framework to address this emergent reality.
Ironically, Nigeria’s maritime tourism sector lags behind its African counterparts, a situation that risks further decline if nothing is done to address some of the challenges facing the industry.
While Nigeria’s maritime tourism potential is significant, experts said some challenges need to be addressed, including security concerns, infrastructure deficits, and the need for improved policy and regulatory frameworks.
Speaking with Daily Sun, a marine engineer, O’tudor Silas, said Nigeria’s maritime tourism resources offer potential for developing a blue economy, which involves the sustainable use of marine resources for economic growth.
He said that for Nigeria to reap the benefits of marine tourism, there is a need to enforce waterways regulations and ensure that boat operators strictly adhere to them in order to curb the rising boat accidents, which could send the wrong signals to tourists.
“The maritime industry stands as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s economy, yet for its tourism potential to truly flourish, the Federal Government must create a conducive environment. This includes revitalising critical infrastructure and prioritising the safety of the nation’s waterways to attract investors and reassure tourists,” he said.
However, a tourism expert, Frank Meke, said it is safe for Nigeria to understand the business of maritime tourism.
“If you don’t have clear knowledge of a product, and a business, and of course, the regulatory part of it, there’s no way you can make success out of it. Nigeria has over 200 million people and over 28 littoral states, no state so far that takes advantage of its marine tourism potential — not even in Lagos, where we claim to have so many activities on the waterways or beachfront. Everything is scattered and ragged.
“There’s no policy direction to say, okay, in two or three years, this is what we want to do, focusing on the sub-bedding of the maritime sector. The maritime tourism content of the maritime industry is the sub-bedding of that business in the sense that it comes with hospitality, it comes to showing you the beachfront, it comes to showing you the underwater marine ecosystem, it comes to show you the culture of the people, and it also comes to show you how much and how far we appreciate nature itself — because water is life and the environment is key to unlocking these businesses,” he explained.
He said a lot of things have to be done to get it right, like what NIWA is doing to enforce wearing of life jackets before people enter the boat, saying that enforcing transportation code and creating awareness is key because people have to understand that maritime is a business.
He said that a lot of people don’t even know that they are involved in maritime tourism, adding that people don’t understand that when they shuttle from Marina to Ikorodu in a boat, they are involved in some kind of maritime tourism experience.
“They enjoy the breeze, enjoy the freedom that comes with it, the speed, and all those kinds of things that come with it. But the truth of the matter is, most people engaging in it don’t even know that they are engaging in the maritime tourism business.
“The waterfront operators, restaurants and all that — they don’t know, they are honest — they are just making money. In Istanbul, for instance, you could see the massive deployment of the waterfront system. You will just not see people doing their business with the water because that is an antenna to tourism development,” he said.
He lamented that the nation’s beachfronts are dead today and there is no policy to clean up beachfronts, saying people doing business in the waterfront do not also engage in a kind of symbiotic business or relationship with boat operators, or even people like the National Watercraft Authority or LASWA, etc.
To harness the maritime tourism potential, he said there must be solid policy direction in place and create awareness for people to understand the benefits embedded in maritime tourism.
Meanwhile, the Head of Research at the Sea Empowerment and Research Centre (SEREC), Eugene Nweke, said that Nigeria’s maritime tourism industry holds immense potential for economic growth, diversification, and global competitiveness.
He said that with its extensive coastline, natural endowments, and growing economy, Nigeria can tap into the vast potential of its maritime sector and become a major player in the global maritime tourism industry, valued at over $6.45 trillion.
Despite its potential, he said Nigeria’s maritime tourism industry is underdeveloped, ranking among the lowest in the marine tourism index, adding that the sector faces challenges such as a lack of infrastructure, inconsistent policies, and security concerns.
To overcome these challenges, he pointed out that Nigeria needs to invest in modern ports, marinas, and recreational facilities, promote public-private partnerships, enhance security, develop coastal communities, and foster multi-sectoral collaboration.
“It suffices to state that the policy thrust, renewed hope of the current administration — especially the creation of the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry and the forthcoming Marine and Blue Economy Development Policy Plan — this rare vision can significantly boost Nigeria’s maritime tourism industry.
“The ministry can provide a strategic focus, policy framework, and increased investment opportunities, prioritising infrastructure development and enhanced security. This can lead to economic growth, a diversified economy, and global competitiveness,” he explained.
Still on the renewed hope mantra, he said indeed, the creation of the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry is a commendable step towards unlocking Nigeria’s maritime tourism potential.
According to him, this move demonstrates a strategic focus on developing the maritime sector, which can lead to economic growth, diversification, and global competitiveness.
He explained that a developed maritime tourism industry can generate significant revenue, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth.
He emphasised that maritime tourism can contribute to Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda, reducing dependence on oil, adding that with proper planning and investment, Nigeria can become a major player in the global maritime tourism industry.
To unlock Nigeria’s maritime tourism potential, he said the government and industry stakeholders should focus on investing in infrastructure development, including modern ports, marinas, and recreational facilities.
“Promote public-private partnerships to develop maritime tourism projects, enhance maritime safety and security to attract tourists and investors, develop coastal communities to benefit from tourism development, and foster multi-sectoral collaboration involving government agencies, private investors, and local communities.
“By implementing these strategies, Nigeria can tap into the vast potential of its maritime sector, generate significant revenue, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth. The government and industry stakeholders must work together to unlock Nigeria’s maritime tourism potential and propel the country to a new era of economic growth and global competitiveness.
“On a strong point of emphasis, the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy should deploy every political will necessary towards the final Marine and Blue Economy Development Policy draft ratification, approval, and implementation,” he added.
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