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The Federal Government has welcomed the decision by the United Nations to extend Nigeria’s continental shelf from 200 Nautical Miles to 220 Nautical Miles following efforts by a renowned maritime expert Professor Lawrence Folajimi Awosika.
This new feat coincides with the creation of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which will give a boost to the Nigerian maritime sector.
The Chairman, United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, CLCS, Adnan Rashid Nasser Al-Azri, disclosed the development in a statement regarding Nigeria’s submission. This approval allows Nigeria to redraw the territorial map of its sovereignty in the Gulf of Guinea, thereby granting the right to exploit the abundant carbon and marine resources believed to be present in the area.
Prof. Lawrence Folajimi Awosika, Chairman of the United Nation’s Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) contributed immensely to the attainment of this feat
Awosika, who has extensive local and global exposure in seabed and maritime jurisdiction matters, has been rallying support for Nigeria from other UN member countries .
Awosika, a former Director and Head, Marine Geology, Geophysics Department of the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research is presently contributing strategically as a renowned international maritime expert to the development of marine and blue economy in
His professional and scholarly works at the global scene have positioned Nigeria as a country with vast influence in the Gulf of Guinea. By this extension, Nigeria will now have more maritime space with the additional 20 nautical miles.
The Gulf of Guinea serves as a strategic trading routes and where there is high level commercial maritime activities like fishing
On his part, Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency’s, NIMASA, Bashir Jamoh OFR applauded the decision by the United Nations to approve a request for the extension of Nigeria’s maritime territory beyond the standard 200 nautical miles from the country’s coast.
Jamoh, while reacting to the development disclosed that this extension of the nation’s maritime area has the potential to bring economic benefits to the country. According to him, “To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time the United Nations has ever approved additional maritime territory for Nigeria. We welcome this development, as it would boost our economic fortunes considerably. It is a plus for the Bola Ahmed Tinubu led Administration and I extend my congratulations to our Honorable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola CON.
According to the UN, the Continental Shelf of a coastal State comprises the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond its territorial sea throughout the natural prolongation of its land territory to the outer edge of the continental margin. Also, a distance of 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured, where the outer edge of the continental margin does not extend up to that distance.
