Co-convener of the Niger Delta Blue Economy Investment Summit, Dr Uche Igwe, has said Nigeria’s Niger Delta region could generate between 50,000 and 100,000 jobs annually through a coordinated and sustainable blue economy strategy, stressing that fishing, aquaculture, tourism and environmental remediation offer a long-term alternative to oil dependence.
Igwe made the remarks during an interview with ARISE News on Tuesday, ahead of the Niger Delta Blue Economy Investment Summit scheduled to take place in Akwa Ibom State next month.
“Every year, the Nigerian government spends about $1.2 billion importing fish into the country,” he said. “You can imagine the amount of foreign exchange going out at a time when there are efforts to stabilise the naira.”
“What we are thinking is that through the summit and through a master plan, there will be an integrated approach to develop our fishing industry, develop local capacity and capability, and also strengthen the regulatory architecture.”
Igwe said the goal is to stop Nigeria’s territorial waters from being exploited without benefit to local communities.
“We do not want a situation where Nigerian territorial waters become a free-for-all arena for all kinds of external forces to come and do fishing,” he said. “With the summit and the approach we want to take, that will be a thing of the past.”
He added that empowering coastal communities would directly translate into jobs and income.
“These communities will be supported to develop the capabilities they need to fish in a sustainable manner,” he said. “In the near future, the $1.2 billion the government spends annually could come down to maybe $2 million or $3 million.”
“Imagine if that kind of money gets into our communities. There are several other industries — drying, distribution, cold storage — that come with the value chain and will also create jobs.”
According to Igwe, the blue economy is not about repeating old extractive models.
“We are not talking about extraction as it used to be,” he said. “We are talking about a targeted, calculated departure in an industry that has always existed, but which, with renewed efforts and the right policy architecture, will create trickle-down effects and jobs in the region.”
On security concerns in the Niger Delta, Igwe acknowledged that insecurity remains a major deterrent to investment but said this would be addressed directly at the summit.
“No investor, whether local or international, will be willing to invest in a region with insecurity challenges,” he said. “That is why security is at the front burner of what we want to discuss.”
“There are efforts ongoing, but we want to ensure they are harmonised and coordinated so we can achieve better results and real impact.”
He said the summit would bring together key stakeholders to adopt a unified approach.
“We want to come together and have an integrated approach to tackling insecurity, understanding that once that is addressed, we can then seek investment — local and international.”
Igwe also admitted that Nigeria’s regulatory framework for the blue economy is still evolving.
“We are not there yet,” he said. “It is a work in progress.”
“One of the challenges is what I call jurisdictional issues. Agencies may be doing their jobs well, but there are silos. We need coordination so that there is collaboration rather than competition.”
He said improving regulatory coherence would be one of the summit’s key objectives.
Turning to tourism, Igwe said the Niger Delta’s coastline rivals some of the world’s most popular destinations.
“If you go to places like Andoni in Rivers State, Opobo, or Ibono in Akwa Ibom State, you will be marvelled at the coastline and beaches,” he said. “These are the kinds of places you find in the Caribbean.”
“I was in Cape Town a couple of months ago and I said, why can’t we make a Cape Town out of Andoni? Why can’t we make a Cape Town out of Ibono?”
He stressed that political will and sound policy were critical to unlocking this potential.
On environmental concerns, Igwe said the summit would not ignore the legacy of pollution from decades of oil extraction.
“The blue economy in the Niger Delta will not be complete until the footprints of pollution from oil exploration are cleaned up,” he said.
“We are not there yet, and cleanup will take time, but the process is ongoing and integrated into the approach we are taking.”
He said environmental remediation itself could become a source of employment.
“Cleanup will also create jobs,” he said. “We are talking about bioremediation, where microorganisms are used to clean crude oil.”
“Our people can be involved in cleaning our rivers and creeks as part of the blue economy. While we get jobs from fishing and aquaculture, we also create jobs for young people learning how to clean in a sustainable way.”
On funding, Igwe said the summit would pursue a blended investment model.
“We already have domestic companies that are supportive,” he said, naming Carverton Marine and Target One among local firms involved in maritime safety and vessel construction.
“These companies are not only interested in partnering with the summit, they also want to invest in the region.”
He said donors and international partners would also attend but would likely take a cautious approach.
“If I were in their shoes, this would be a scoping visit,” he said. “They want to see the seriousness, the political will, and whether indigenous companies are willing to commit their own resources.”
“It is only when domestic investors — especially those within the Niger Delta — commit their resources that international investors will find the region attractive. We have to do it ourselves.”
Looking ahead, Igwe outlined what success would look like within five years.
“Success will look like a coordinated arena where people know who to go to and what to do,” he said. “A functional master plan that gives a bird’s-eye view of opportunities and how to pursue them sustainably.”
He also called for the establishment of a Niger Delta Blue Economy Investment Fund.
“People often have the right ideas but not the resources,” he said. “We need funds to leverage local industries and innovators.”
Igwe highlighted flooding as another urgent issue.
“Over ₦11.5 billion is lost annually to flooding,” he said. “Success for me is a situation where we prevent flooding rather than respond to emergencies every year.”
Drawing a comparison with Lagos, he said transformation was possible.
“When I see Eko Atlantic, imperfect as it is, I believe similar projects can be replicated in the Niger Delta,” he said. “Places that were once ravaged by flooding can be transformed with professional and scientific preventive approaches.”
He concluded: “With all these interventions, sustainable jobs will be created and poverty reduced. Oil is non-renewable. The blue economy is for life.”
Boluwatife Enome
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