Renowned economist and public policy expert, Professor Patrick Utomi, has argued that despite the country’s vast coastal resources and maritime advantages, Nigeria remains trapped in poverty, largely due to poor governance, the absence of a coherent strategy, and an entrenched culture of administrative dysfunction.
During the Blue Economy Academy Monthly Ocean Intelligence Brief, held on 26th August, 2025, Utomi stressed that the blue economy is far from a novel concept. He said for generations, it has underpinned the livelihoods of coastal communities across Africa. However, what is new and alarming is the growing disconnect between this enduring economic space and the Nigerian government’s ineffective efforts to harness it. He noted that despite the abundance of opportunity, particularly along Nigeria’s extensive coastline, the country continues to lag behind in translating these assets into jobs, investments, and inclusive economic growth.
He added that in rural Nigeria, over 75 percent of the population still live in extreme poverty, a figure that illustrates the country’s inability to transform natural advantage into human development.
Drawing comparisons with global success stories, Utomi highlighted models like Japan’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), where close collaboration between government and the private sector helped catalyze industrial and trade expansion. He lamented that in Nigeria, the public sector too often adopts a top down, domineering posture, stifling innovation and treating private enterprise as adversaries rather than partners. This culture, he warned, is deeply counterproductive and must change if the country is to progress.
Utomi identified regulatory risk and political interference as major impediments, pointing to the over centralisation of ports and bureaucratic bottlenecks in the maritime sector. He emphasised that efficient port infrastructure across the entire coastline, rather than concentrating traffic through a few congested terminals, would boost productivity and unlock economic opportunities in coastal communities.
Utomi also pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a unique opportunity Nigeria is yet to fully leverage. With coordinated regional value chains, he stated that countries across West Africa could collectively meet global production standards and penetrate larger markets. He further said Nigeria’s ports and maritime infrastructure could serve as key platforms for such aggregated trade if properly developed and managed.
He addressed the under utilisation of tourism and marine biodiversity, highlighting how smaller nations have successfully built billion dollar economies around beach tourism and ocean related industries. Nigeria, despite its vast potential in this area, remains on the margins.
Utomi emphasised that unlocking the blue economy requires more . According to him, it demands a disciplined, long term approach to economic planning, anchored on strong public private partnerships, strategic investment in infrastructure, and a complete cultural shift in the way public institutions interact with businesses. He warned that unless Nigeria adopts a collaborative, forward-looking approach, the blue economy will remain yet another missed opportunity in a long list of squandered advantages.
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