The Provisional Committee for the Establishment of the Nigerian Coast Guard (PC-NCG) has urged the Senate to pass the Nigerian Coast Guard Establishment Bill, saying it would strengthen maritime security, create jobs and boost economic growth through the Blue Economy.
The committee made the call in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Director of Communication and Public Affairs, Dr Piriye Kiyaramo.
The bill is currently before the Senate at the third reading stage but was stepped down for further legislative consideration over concerns about possible duplication of functions and funding.
Kiyaramo quoted the committee’s Chief Executive and Accounting Officer, retired Capt. Noah Ichaba, as saying Nigeria could no longer afford further delays in addressing gaps in maritime law enforcement, security and governance.
Ichaba said the absence of a dedicated coast guard had resulted in institutional gaps, overlapping mandates, fragmented funding and limited operational capacity.
“What is required now is the political will to move from recognition to resolution, and from debate to decision,” he said.
He said the Senate had a constitutional responsibility to establish the legal framework needed to effectively secure Nigeria’s maritime domain.
According to him, the proposed coast guard would provide a dedicated civilian-led agency responsible for search and rescue, fisheries protection, pollution control and maritime law enforcement across Nigeria’s territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone.
Ichaba said improved maritime security would create a safer environment for investment in shipping, ports, aquaculture, offshore energy and coastal tourism.
He added that the agency could also stimulate coastal trade and strengthen Nigeria’s broader Blue Economy agenda.
The committee chief said a coast guard would enhance Nigeria’s capacity to respond to piracy, illegal fishing, oil theft and environmental degradation affecting coastal communities.
He noted that more than 30 million Nigerians living in coastal states depended directly or indirectly on the marine environment for their livelihoods.
Ichaba said the proposed agency would also clarify responsibilities among maritime institutions, reduce duplication of functions, improve coordination and promote more efficient use of public resources.
He further argued that sustainable development of Nigeria’s ocean resources could contribute significantly to the country’s Gross Domestic Product and create millions of direct and indirect jobs.
“The establishment of a Nigerian Coast Guard is not about institutional competition. It is about clarifying roles, improving coordination, protecting lives and property, securing coastal communities, and unlocking Nigeria’s Blue Economy potential,” he said.
Ichaba cautioned against further delays on the grounds that Nigeria’s circumstances differed from those of other maritime nations, saying the country could still draw lessons from institutional structures successfully adopted elsewhere.
“The issue before us is no longer whether the need exists, but whether the Senate will demonstrate the courage to translate established facts and national necessity into law,” he said.
He urged senators to consider the bill from constitutional, operational, economic, security and national-interest perspectives.
“Let the 10th Senate be remembered for choosing Nigeria at the moment it needed institutional courage,” Ichaba said.
He also called on maritime stakeholders to put Nigeria’s collective maritime interests above institutional rivalry.
He urged government agencies, regulators, industry operators, coastal communities, labour, academia and development partners to support constructive engagement on the proposed legislation.
The PC-NCG is responsible for advocacy, technical engagements and stakeholder consultations towards the establishment of a statutory Nigerian Coast Guard.
The proposed coast guard is expected to complement existing maritime security agencies while supporting the sustainable development of Nigeria’s Blue Economy.
