Abuja, Nigeria – June 16, 2025 — Nigeria has formally launched its campaign to return to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council, with the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, leading a high-level strategy to garner global support ahead of the Category C elections later this year.
The announcement came during a strategic meeting held at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, where Oyetola inaugurated an inter-ministerial committee tasked with coordinating Nigeria’s re-election efforts. The committee, chaired by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oloruntola, is expected to engage relevant international stakeholders, leverage diplomatic channels, and project Nigeria’s maritime capacity on the global stage.
“We are not just asking for votes; we are presenting our credentials as a maritime nation with renewed vision, regulatory reforms, and regional responsibility,” Oyetola stated, urging IMO member states to support Nigeria’s bid.
The IMO Council’s Category C consists of 20 member states with special interests in maritime transport and navigation, particularly nations contributing significantly to international shipping. Nigeria last held a seat on the council in 2009 but failed to secure re-election in subsequent contests from 2011 through 2019. The country’s re-entry into the council would offer a platform to influence global maritime policy, enhance domestic shipping standards, and attract strategic investments to its blue economy sector.
Oyetola cited Nigeria’s recent efforts to align with international maritime protocols, including the successful deposit of six IMO instruments in London under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. These efforts, he said, signal Nigeria’s renewed commitment to global best practices and maritime governance.
The minister also highlighted diplomatic outreach already underway. During the recent 133rd IMO Council session in London, Oyetola held bilateral discussions with his counterparts from Liberia and other member countries, seeking their endorsement of Nigeria’s bid.
Stakeholders across Nigeria’s maritime sector, including the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), have expressed readiness to support the campaign with data, strategy, and stakeholder engagement.
Nigeria’s expansive coastline, robust port infrastructure, and strategic position along major shipping routes underscore its eligibility and potential impact as a council member. With increased regional maritime cooperation and heightened security efforts in the Gulf of Guinea, the country’s leadership believes it is well positioned to contribute meaningfully to international maritime discourse.
As the IMO elections approach, Nigeria’s return bid represents not only a diplomatic push but also a symbolic effort to re-establish the country’s maritime identity on the global map — one that is reform-driven, forward-looking, and anchored in collaboration.