By Seun Ibiyemi
The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy on Wednesday launched its Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS), marking a significant step in its digital transformation and institutional reform agenda.
The ECMS was jointly unveiled by the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, at the Ministry’s Fourth Quarter 2025 Stakeholders and Citizens Engagement held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
The engagement, themed “Positioning Nigeria’s Marine and Blue Economy for Investment, Innovation and Expansion: The Pathway,” brought together stakeholders across the marine and blue economy value chain to review reforms and chart pathways for sustainable sectoral growth.
In his keynote address, Dr. Oyetola described the forum as a defining moment in efforts to reposition the marine and blue economy as a key pillar of Nigeria’s economic diversification, growth and global competitiveness.
He said the engagement was designed to strengthen transparency, accountability and partnerships in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking on the ECMS, the Minister said the platform represents a strategic investment aimed at improving efficiency, transparency, accountability and service delivery across the Ministry.
According to him, the system will streamline workflows, strengthen records management, enhance decision-making and improve the Ministry’s responsiveness to investors, operators and development partners.
Highlighting the sector’s potential, Dr. Oyetola noted that Nigeria’s long coastline, extensive inland waterways and strategic location offer vast opportunities in maritime trade, fisheries, aquaculture, logistics, tourism and related services for job creation and inclusive growth.
He disclosed that local fish production rose from 1.1 million metric tonnes to 1.4 million metric tonnes over the past year, attributing the growth to targeted interventions, improved coordination and technology deployment.
Although the output still falls short of Nigeria’s estimated annual consumption of 3.6 million tonnes, the Minister said ongoing reforms would further close the gap.
Dr. Oyetola also revealed that the Ministry has begun engagements with financial institutions to secure single-digit interest loans for fishermen nationwide, a move aimed at boosting productivity, expanding access to affordable finance and curbing illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
On the international front, he said Nigeria’s election into Category C of the International Maritime Organization and its emergence as Chairman of the Conference of Ministers of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea reflect renewed global confidence in the country’s maritime leadership and policy direction.
The Minister added that the Ministry’s reform drive has earned strong performance ratings, including a 96 per cent score by the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit, positive assessments from the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, and National Bureau of Statistics data ranking water transportation among Nigeria’s fastest-growing sectors.
In her remarks, Mrs. Walson-Jack commended the Ministry for its reform initiatives, describing the ECMS as a major step toward paperless governance, improved institutional memory and more efficient public service delivery. She said the platform aligns with the Federal Civil Service’s broader digital transformation agenda and will help reduce bureaucracy and enhance accountability.
The event was attended by regulators, private sector operators, investors, development partners and other stakeholders, who reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the growth and sustainability of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy.