Nigeria illegal fishing initiative launches pilot vessel register to curb IUU fishing and strengthen transparency in West African waters

Nigeria has stepped forward to lead a major regional effort to curb illegal fishing in the Gulf of Guinea by piloting the long-awaited Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels for West Africa.

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The announcement was made in Abuja by Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and Chairman of the Conference of Ministers of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), during a high-level meeting with the FCWC Secretary-General and officials.

Oyetola emphasised that Nigeria’s decision reflects a shift from declarations to action in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which costs West African economies billions of dollars annually.

“Nigeria’s decision to serve as the pilot country demonstrates our resolve to translate regional leadership into measurable outcomes for sustainable fisheries management,” he said.

At the heart of the initiative is the creation of a verified regional database of industrial fishing vessels authorised to operate within the maritime jurisdictions of FCWC member states.

The register will cover both national and foreign fleets, enhancing transparency, accountability, and information-sharing among coastal nations.

The vessel register builds on the Monrovia Declaration, under which FCWC member states endorsed the system as a shared governance tool to combat IUU fishing across West and Central Africa.

The pilot phase will allow Nigeria and the FCWC to test the system, identify operational gaps, and generate lessons for a wider regional rollout.

Oyetola stressed that collective action and harmonised systems are essential to protecting shared fish stocks.

Complementary measures already underway include joint patrols and enforcement operations under the West Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme, implemented by the FCWC in partnership with the European Fisheries Control Agency.

The minister also highlighted updates to Nigeria’s draft National Plan of Action on IUU fishing following the transfer of fisheries oversight to the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, signalling renewed policy focus on curbing illicit activity in Nigerian waters.

Plans for closer institutional collaboration on harmonising food safety and fisheries standards across the region were also proposed.

FCWC Secretary-General Antoine Gaston Djihinto praised Nigeria’s leadership, commending Oyetola’s commitment to boosting fish production and tackling illegal fishing.

He described the Lagos-hosted FCWC Conference in November 2025 as “outstanding and highly commendable.”

Established in 2007, the FCWC comprises Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Togo.

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Headquartered in Tema, Ghana, it promotes regional cooperation in fisheries management, legislative harmonisation, enhanced monitoring, and the development of a sustainable blue economy across the West Central Gulf of Guinea.