President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has invited China to partner with Nigeria in the deployment and exchange of geophysical data to accelerate the development of the country’s blue economy and strengthen the sustainable use of its maritime resources.

The proposal was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations following a keynote address delivered by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, at the United Nations Sustainable Development Workshop on High-quality Development of the Marine Economy in Beijing, China.

Representing President Tinubu at the event, Ibrahim said the proposed collaboration centres on technology transfer, geophysical intelligence and research cooperation aimed at unlocking the economic potential of Nigeria’s maritime domain rather than relying on traditional development assistance.

According to him, the Tinubu administration believes that access to geophysical and oceanographic data will provide lasting economic value by supporting innovation, marine research and sustainable exploitation of ocean resources.

He said the initiative reflects Nigeria’s commitment to building a knowledge-driven blue economy capable of contributing significantly to national economic growth.

Ibrahim also commended China for its contributions to the advancement of the global marine economy and reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to deepen bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the sector.

He noted that the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy by the Tinubu administration demonstrates the government’s determination to maximise the country’s maritime potential.

The envoy further urged the international community to embrace innovation, artificial intelligence, sustainable financing and stronger global partnerships to advance ocean governance and support the development of resilient blue economy infrastructure in developing countries.

He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to working with China and other international partners to promote a sustainable and prosperous global marine economy, stressing the need for urgent collective action to harness opportunities within the sector.