- Friday, May 3, 2024
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The Federal Government has
welcomed the decision by the United Nations (UN) to extend Nigeria’s
continental shelf from 200 Nautical Miles to 220 Nautical Miles.
The decision coincides with the creation of
the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which
will give a boost to the nation’s 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.
Director-General, Nigerian
Maritime Administration and Safety Agency's (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh lauded
the decision by the UN to approve a request for the extension of Nigeria's
maritime territory beyond the standard 200 nautical miles from the country's
coast.
Jamoh said the extension of the
nation's maritime area has the potential to bring economic benefits to the
country.
“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,” he wrote in his reaction.
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.
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