Nigeria to explore global surge in deep-sea exploration – Minister  

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola has affirmed commitment to diversify Nigeria’s economy and capitalize on the global surge in deep-sea exploration.

According to him, a major oil-producing country with an extensive coastline and inland waterways as Nigeria cannot afford to lag in this new frontier.

Oyetola who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Oloruntola Olufeminoted this at the stakeholders Sensitization workshop on deep seabed activities in Nigeria adding that collective mission is to harness the vast potential of our marine resources, and this workshop marks a significant step towards achieving this goal.

He called on effective harnessing of these resources that will significantly contribute to our nation’s energy needs.

He said the workshop aims to raise awareness among critical stakeholders about the importance of Deep Seabed exploration and exploitation, addressing environmental hazards. 

Also, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Oloruntola Olufemi envisaged a future where Nigeria’s indigenous companies emerge as trailblazers in deep-seabed activities, contributing significantly to our nation’s economic prosperity.

He said the workshop catalyse transformative growth, propelling our maritime sector toward sustained excellence.

Also, the Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr Dayo Mobereola explained that the deep seabed is home to unique ecosystems and biodiversity and it remains a largely unexplored frontier, with ongoing research and development aimed at understanding its ecosystem, resources and potential applications.

He further explained that the Deep Seabed Mining is an emerging concept that could improve the economic activities of a country. 

He said “It involves the extraction of mineral deposits from the ocean floor. The extraction of such minerals has metals such as copper, nickel, cobalt, and gold crucial for modern technologies and green energy solutions. 

“There has been high interest in deep seabed mining due to the significance of these metals. However, there have not been commercial operations of the mining as there are concerns about environmental impacts and the need for a regulatory framework. 

On the challenges and concerns, he said one of the most pressing concerns is its potential environmental impact adding that the ocean floor is home to fragile ecosystems and unique biodiversity, and seabed mining activities could disrupt these habitats. 

He said that NIMASA will play a critical role by collaborating with relevant MDAs and the International Seabed Authority (ISA) in providing the regulatory framework and establishing environmental protection guidelines for seabed mining. 

He said it is an integral part of the Blue Economy, promising technological advancement, resource security, and job creation.