Business
Nigeria formally Accepts WTO’s Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies
Nigeria has deposited its instrument of acceptance for the World Trade Organisation’s ((WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.
The Agreement prohibits support for illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, bans support for fishing overfished stocks, and ends subsidies for fishing on the unregulated high seas.
Ambassador Adamu Mohammed Abdulhamid presented Nigeria’s instrument of acceptance to WTO Director-General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday.
Ambassador Abdulhamid said: “The Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies presents a unique opportunity for Nigeria to promote sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth and the improvement of livelihoods while preserving the health of ocean ecosystem, believing that the Agreement shall put a stop to all harmful fisheries subsidies such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activities by all WTO members.”
“By this instrument of acceptance, Nigeria reassures its commitment to a rule-based multilateral trading system by guaranteeing its compliance with the Agreement as well as refraining from introducing any new subsidies that harm the marine environment while recognizing the need for appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries which can be achieved through adequate policy space to develop its fisheries sector and technical assistance and capacity building in order to implement the discipline.
Nigeria calls on other WTO members who are yet to ratify this agreement to do so as soon as possible so as to contribute to our global effort of preservation of the global fish stocks,” he said.
DG Okonjo-Iweala said: “I am profoundly grateful to Nigeria for formally accepting the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.
I am proud to see the country’s continued commitment to sustainable development and its vote of confidence in the work of the WTO.
Nigeria’s acceptance adds to our growing tally of members that have accepted the Agreement — we have received about one-third of the total that we need for the Agreement to enter into force.
I hope that Nigeria’s action serves as an inspiration to other governments in Africa and the rest of the world to move swiftly to implement the Agreement and foster global cooperation for the benefit of our shared future.”
Nigeria is the fifth-largest African fishing nation and is estimated to lose about USD70 million each year to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
The sector accounts for as much as 5 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP and supports the livelihood of about 24 million people.
Business
12-years after, US clears Nigerian vessels to land at its ports
Oyetola said that removal of the restriction by the USCG followed years of effort by Nigeria to meet international maritime security standards, particularly through the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, announced that the United States Coast Guard (USCG) has removed the Condition of Entry (CoE) imposed on Nigerian vessels from docking at its ports.
The CoE was first imposed in June 2014. Under the restriction, any vessel that had docked at designated Nigerian ports within its previous five port calls was required to meet additional security and documentation requirements before entering US waters.
Oyetola said that removal of the restriction by the USCG followed years of effort by Nigeria to meet international maritime security standards, particularly through the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The removal means those extra requirements no longer apply.Four USCG assessments between 2024 and 2026
He pointed to the country’s compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code as central to the case presented to US authorities.
The USCG carried out four separate assessments of Nigeria’s ports and maritime security framework between March 2024 and April 2026.
The inspections took place in March 2024, April 2024, March 2025 and April 2026. The government said each review recorded measurable progress.
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Business
Oyede Tasks States To Look Beyond Federal Allocations For Economic Growth
Nigeria must move from an allocation dependent economy to one driven by production, investment and job creation,
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Prof. Taiwo Oyedele, has said federal allocations alone cannot guarantee prosperity for states, urging them to develop sustainable sources of revenue and drive economic growth.
The Minister gave the advice during the 2026 National Council on Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED) conference in Owerri, Imo State, yesterday.
Oyedele emphasised the need for states to look beyond federal allocations and develop their productive capacities to achieve sustainable economic development.
He called for stronger fiscal federalism, improved revenue generation and economic diversification to strengthen Nigeria’s resilience to economic shocks.
“Nigeria must move from an allocation dependent economy to one driven by production, investment and job creation,” he stated.
According to him, recent economic reforms , including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market, have increased tremendously the revenue available for distribution through the federation account.
He said monthly federation account allocation, which was between N300 billion and N600 billion before 2023, is now above N2 trillion.
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