Nigeria and Ghana Enhance Cooperation Against Illegal Fishing

Nigeria and Ghana have committed to strengthening bilateral cooperation on fisheries governance and efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the West Central Gulf of Guinea. This agreement was established following a meeting on Wednesday in Accra between Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, and Ghana’s Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Emelia Arthur.

The discussions centered on enhancing fisheries monitoring, sharing information on authorized fishing vessels, and promoting sustainable management of marine resources. Oyetola, who is also the president of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), emphasized the need for stronger coordination to address illegal fishing, which poses threats to food security and coastal livelihoods.

He proposed the implementation of the Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels as a platform for cooperation. Arthur praised Nigeria’s anti-piracy efforts and expressed Ghana’s commitment to tackling illegal fishing, seeking Nigeria’s support in developing its Marine and Blue Economy policy.