By Seun Ibiyemi
The African Group at the United Nations (UN) has declared full support for Nigeria’s candidature for election into Category “C” of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council for the 2026–2027 biennium.
The endorsement came during a high-level presentation by Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, at the African Union Mission in New York.
Amb. Mohamed Dabo, Equatorial Guinea’s Permanent Representative to the UN and Chair of the African Group for September, commended Nigeria’s “unmatched leadership” in combating piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, noting that the country’s decisive interventions had drastically reduced maritime crime in the region.
He described Nigeria as a “brotherly nation” whose leadership extended beyond its borders, championing Africa’s collective agenda.
South Africa’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Marthinus Van Schalkwyk, also voiced support, applauding Nigeria’s pledge to advocate for an expanded IMO Council to secure more seats for African states.
Presenting Nigeria’s bid, Oyetola stressed that the country’s candidature was aimed at strengthening Africa’s collective voice in global maritime governance.
He highlighted Nigeria’s six-decade membership in the IMO, its achievements in maritime security through initiatives like the Deep Blue Project and the SPOMO Act, and ongoing investments in port modernisation and digitalisation.
“With Africa holding only four out of 40 IMO Council seats despite representing 25 percent of membership, stronger African representation is long overdue,” Oyetola said.
The Minister further reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to IMO conventions, environmental sustainability, and the Blue Economy agenda aligned with the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
The election into the IMO Council is scheduled to take place later this year at the organisation’s Assembly in London.
