The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has called on Nigeria and other African countries to switch to decarbonization in shipping as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) finalises its regulatory framework on decarbonisation.
Oyetola said with over 90 per cent of global trade facilitated by maritime transport, decarbonization in shipping is not just an environmental necessity, but an economic imperative.
He added that Africa’s dependency on imports from other parts of the world makes the transition an important debate, as its contribution to the global fleet is below 2 percent.
The Minister disclosed this in Abuja on Monday at the maiden African Strategic Summit on Shipping Decarbonisation.
He explained that investing in green maritime infrastructure could create jobs, attract financing, and build long-term economic resilience.
He, however, noted that if policies are designed without Africa’s input, African shipping routes could become less competitive, costs for imports and exports could rise, and critical infrastructure investments could be sidelined.
On the need for Africa to embrace decarbonization in shipping, Oyetola said: “As a coastal continent with 38 coastal nations, we stand a chance to explore opportunities that this energy transition offers our region by engaging the Global North to partner with Africa to utilize the need to develop our ports as a launch pad for catalyzing the industrialization of Africa.
“Africa’s maritime sector is uniquely positioned to leverage its strategic geographic advantage, renewable energy potential, and growing port infrastructure to become a global leader in green shipping: However, this requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders be it as public and private sector players or development partners to align investments with sustainability and economic growth.
“Decarbonising the shipping industry must be pursued in a manner that is just and equitable, ensuring that no African nation is left behind. Shipping decarbonisation also goes beyond ships, it touches various sectors, such as transport, environment, climate change, trade and investment, to mention a few.
While we recognise the need for ambitious climate action, we must also acknowledge the challenges faced by developing economies, including access to technology and capital, energy poverty, inefficient food systems, of which food insecurity is chief, as well as capacity building amongst others.”
The minister said Africa must advocate for policy mechanisms that ensures fair revenue distribution from global decarbonisation measures.
“Without the generation of funds through a policy architecture underpinned by justice and equity, Africa faces a dire future that may set the region back decade fiscally and environmentally. The funds generated should be reinvested into African maritime infrastructure, alternative fuel research, and workforce training to build a resilient and competitive shipping industry amongst many other needs.”
On some of the areas where cleaner energies could be adopted in the maritime sector, Oyetola said: “we are looking at renewable energy-powered ports; developing ports that integrate wind, solar, and hydrogen power will not only reduce emissions but also create employment and investment opportunities.
“Green corridors is another aspect we are looking at. Establishing decarbonised shipping routes across Africa’s key maritime hubs can position the continent as a leader in sustainable trade.
“With African ownership of shipping assets at less than 2 per cent, there is a need to support and incentivize domestic ship-owners to adopt green technologies and benefit from new financing mechanisms.”
The minister added that with over 40 member states at the IMO, Africa stands a chance to shift the debate by working together.
“The time for Africa to take the helm of its maritime future is now. We must shift from being passive recipients of global policies to being active architects of solutions that reflect our unique circumstances and aspirations.”
The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola also said the shipping industry is a significant contributor to global emissions.
He said the shipping industry accounts for approximately 3 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions which contributes to climate change.
He added that the environmental impact of the emissions has created a sense of urgency and has caused the world to focus on shipping decarbonization.
He noted that Africa must prioritise sustainable and responsible maritime practices as it grows and develops.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogala highlighted some steps taken by the Navy to reduce carbon emission.
He revealed that some offices and barracks have switched to solay energy and some diesel boats and machine converted to electric.
He said: “In Africa, and particularly within Nigeria’s maritime domain, we routinely have problems with high emission rates experienced in our sea lanes, a good cause to increase air pollution and marine pollution.
“The current energy landscape in Nigeria is predominantly fossil fuel based, which is dependent on carbon emissions, which is contributing to climate change. We are driving our procurement process to ensure that we incorporate other forms of energy that will be less carbon dependent.
“We are also making our future plans towards decarbonization by proposing and trying to initiate hybrid solutions on new acquisitions, such as combined diesel and electric systems for our future ships. By so doing, we believe that we will be able to reduce our carbon emission and pollution by not less than 50%.
“Also, in the event of a sliding cost of electricity for us within the country, there are some proposals to convert some of our boats that are currently powered by diesel engines to electric engines. Most of our small boats are powered by diesel engines. We hope that by doing this, we will also be able to reduce our carbon emissions.
“This is in addition to several other efforts that we are making to ensure that some of our barracks and offices are powered using alternative renewable energy like solar power and other forms of generators that will be less carbon dependent. Overall, the Nigerian Navy is well-positioned and well-equipped to contribute to the overall goal of decarbonization in the African maritime domain and particularly in Nigeria’s maritime environment.”
