Nigeria, Denmark Strengthen Maritime, Blue Economy Cooperation
Nigeria and Denmark have renewed efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation in the maritime sector, following a high-level technical dialogue focused on blue economy development, maritime security, and sustainable ocean governance.
The engagement brought together officials from Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and senior representatives of the Danish government, underscoring both countries’ intent to expand collaboration across shipping, port development, maritime technology and resilient ocean-based value chains.
Speaking on the sidelines of the talks, Adegboyega Oyetola, Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to positioning the maritime and blue economy sectors as key drivers of economic diversification, trade growth and job creation.
The Danish delegation was led by Jens Ole Bach Hansen, Denmark’s Ambassador to Nigeria, alongside officials responsible for sustainable value chains, maritime advisory services and defence cooperation.
Nigeria’s delegation was headed by Kalthum Ibrahim, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics at the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, with support from Busayo Fakinlede, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Marine and Blue Economy.
Discussions centred on strengthening institutional linkages, improving maritime domain awareness, promoting sustainable shipping practices and boosting the competitiveness of Nigeria’s maritime value chains. Both sides emphasised the need to translate policy cooperation into measurable economic outcomes within the ports, shipping and logistics sub-sectors.
Denmark enters the partnership as one of the world’s leading maritime nations, with shipping as its largest export sector and strong global expertise in maritime technology and energy-efficient solutions. Nigeria, on its part, is leveraging its extensive Atlantic coastline, vast inland waterways and strategic position in the Gulf of Guinea to strengthen regional trade and maritime security.
The dialogue also built on existing cooperation frameworks, including Denmark’s Gulf of Guinea Maritime Security Programme (2022–2026), as well as longstanding commercial ties such as investments by APM Terminals in Nigerian port and logistics infrastructure.
Officials noted that the renewed engagement aligns with Denmark’s Africa Strategy, which prioritises green transition, sustainable maritime development and equal partnerships. For Nigeria and Denmark, the shared objective remains clear: harnessing the blue economy as a practical engine for maritime growth, trade expansion, and long-term economic resilience.
