President Bola Tinubu has called on the People’s Republic of China to partner with Nigeria through technical cooperation and the sharing of geophysical data to unlock the country’s vast marine resources and accelerate economic growth.

The invitation was conveyed by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, during a keynote address at the United Nations Sustainable Development Workshop on High-quality Development of the Marine Economy in Beijing.

Ibrahim delivered the address at the invitation of China’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations on behalf of President Tinubu.

He commended China for its leadership in developing the marine and blue economy and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to becoming one of the world’s leading maritime economies.

According to the envoy, the Tinubu administration has demonstrated its commitment to the sector through the creation of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, describing the oceans as the next frontier for global wealth creation and sustainable development.

Ibrahim said Nigeria was seeking strategic partnerships built on knowledge transfer, technology and access to geophysical data rather than financial aid, to enable the country better understand, manage and harness its marine resources.

He noted that the future of global prosperity increasingly lies in the sustainable development of ocean resources, urging countries to look beyond traditional economic models and embrace the opportunities presented by the blue economy.

The ambassador also called for stronger international collaboration to tackle shared challenges, including climate change, weak cross-border governance and the unsustainable exploitation of marine resources.

He stressed that while such challenges require collective action, they should not prevent nations from benefiting from what he described as the “ocean of prosperity.”

Ibrahim further urged the international community to move beyond policy discussions and embrace practical solutions driven by innovation, artificial intelligence, circular economy principles and data-driven decision-making to ensure sustainable development of the marine economy.

He said enhanced cooperation between Nigeria and China in the blue economy would contribute to economic diversification, job creation and long-term sustainable development.