By Stephen Ubanna
After more than a year of behind the scene maneuvering, intensive diplomatic outreach, targeted engagements and sustained advocacy across maritime nations and maritime blocs, Adegboyega Oyetola, a former governor of Osun State and now minister of marine and blue economy was confident that Nigeria will return to the IMO, Council.
His optimism was based on Nigeria’s strategic maritime location in the West and Central sub-regions and its significance as a hub of maritime activities regarding ‘’maritime shipping and trade’’ as obtained in other maritime nations.
As a prelude to taking Nigeria to the global maritime stage as promised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the minister was said to have carried all the staff of the ministry and the Chief Executive Officers, CEOs, of the maritime agencies under the ministry along to avoid giving room for lapses that may be cashed in by competitors to make a mockery of Nigeria ‘efforts and be tagged ‘’a serial loser’’. Dayo Mobereola, Director General and CEO, Nigerian Maritime Organisation and Safety, NIMASA, led inter-ministerial Committee members were said to have moved into action to reach out to some of the 186 member States of the IMO, preparatory for the 202/27. Biennium Council election slated for November 28, 2025.
As a workaholic, the minister may not have left the Committee, to handle Nigeria’s Campaign alone as he was said to have been fully involved, taken advantage of any international forum to solicit for votes by reeling out President Tinubu’s achievements in the nation’s maritime sector over the last two years which was said to have dwarfed the rival competitor, Kenya.
It would be recalled that ahead of the IMO, Council elections, on November 28, 2025, the minister and members of the inter-ministerial Committee members and some top officials of the ministry had relocated to London to step up their Campaigns and have one on one discussions with representatives of the IMO member States, particular, countries in the same maritime bloc to secure their block votes.
Indeed, signs that Nigeria will win the IMO Council election which it had lost more than thrice emerged last October when Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary General of IMO, visited Nigeria to see things himself and was satisfied with the development the nation’s maritime sector and modernization of the seaports.
Indeed, Nigeria’s chances of winning the IMO Council election may have further been brightened with the signing of the IMO, Conventions that had been deposited in the Organisation’s UK, Headquarters, showing a sign of a committed maritime nation guided by the IMO, Conventions.
Maritime experts had described Nigeria’s victory at the IMO Council elections as ‘’a ‘’landmark endorsement of renewed confidence the world has on Nigeria, which reflects the thrust in the country’s maritime reforms and enhanced Gulf of Guinea security, and the nation’s ambitious economic vision’’ under President Tinubu.
An elated minister Oyetola, who could not hide his feelings had said that ‘’without ‘’the unwavering support of President Tinubu and the international maritime Community, which threw their weight on Nigeria, in the fiercely contested election by 48 member States out of 186, to elect 40 Council members, spread across the three Category Seats that would be responsible in supervising the work of the IMO for the next two -year term, the feat could not have been achieved with ease.
The IMO, helmsman, had confirmed that prior to the election to elect the 2026/27, IMO Council members, ‘’there was intense lobbying and jockeying for position by interested member States. nations.
He had cited Russia’s attempts to regain position at the IMO, which it had lost, after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The east European country was the only country that was said to have been elected to the the IMO Category A, Council Seat in the November 28, election in UK.
The Asia country of China, according to informed maritime sources may have seen the IMO Council election, as an opportunity to stamp its foot down as the dominant economy in the world by its intent ‘’to deepen exchanges, coordination and cooperation with the Secretariat and other member states of the maritime Organisation.
The Asia economic giant was said to have established a permanent mission to the IMO, ‘’to build a modern maritime transport system and contribute more to the economic growth and stable industrial and supply chains in member states’’.
The Representatives of the IMO member states may have known that they are in for serious business to vote in maritime States that could support the Organisation’s activities and not to be carried away by ‘’the political tensions, evolving global trade patterns, and an accelerating global position towards decarbonization and digitalization to vote in the wrong maritime nations which would not deliver on their mandate.
The IMO, Secretary General may have prepared the mind of the Representatives of the IMO member States on how to vote for the right Candidate when he told them categorically that ‘’the success of the UN, maritime agency will depend on their decisions and their collective action in bringing together this diverse Community’’, which many believes had favoured Nigeria, which was said to have met all the criteria, to be elected into the IMO Council, for the 2026/27 biennium. It was not surprising why minister Oyetola, had expressed his deep appreciation to the international maritime community for ‘’their confidence on Nigeria’’
Putting on the garb of a politician of repute, who has made a mark in the international environment, the Osun state born minister of marine and blue economy could beat his chest: Nigeria is back, stronger and ready to lead and committed to safer, smarter and more sustainable oceans
In apparent reaction to Ngeria’s victory in the recent IMO, Council elections, for the 2026/27, biennium, an elated President Tinubu, has described it as ‘’a strong affirmation of the country’s growing maritime influence and its constructive role in global shipping governance’’.
While appreciating Nigeria’s victory at the IMO Council elections, President Tinubu, had declared that ‘’it reflects the international community confidence in the nation’s commitment to maritime safety, maritime security, environmental stewardship and rules-based maritime operations’’.
Applauding’’ minister Oyetola, and the staff of the ministry of marine and blue economy including the NIMASA, and the Diplomatic team, involved in the Nigeria Campaign to win the IMO Council election ‘’for ‘’their dedication , strategic engagement and professionalism throughout the election process’’ the Nigerian President had alluded to the fact ‘’that ‘’the Council mandate aligns with the administrations ‘s drive to unlock the full potential of the Nigeria’s blue economy, expand maritime infrastructure, , strengthen anti-piracy initiatives and improve the nation’s standing as standing as a regional shipping hub’’.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, Information and Strategy, had recalled that the President who could not hide his joy had assured the global maritime Community of ‘’Nigeria’s readiness to partner with it to ensure safer seas, cleaner oceans, more efficient maritime transport systems and to champion cooperation, innovation and fairness in global maritime regulations’’.
The Nigerian President was said to have used the opportunity created by the Nigeria victory at the IMO Council elections to thank the member states of the IMO, ‘’for their support and goodwill’’, pledging that ‘’Nigeria will justify the thrust reposed on it through sustained Leadership and active contribution ‘’ to the advancement of international maritime
objectives’’.
With the success in the IMO Council elections, Nigeria joins 19 other maritime nations in the Category C, Set, in ‘’shaping global governance’’, that, maritime analysts believe would ‘’raise ‘’the nation’s international maritime profile, partnerships and investor confidence’’.
Other maritime nations that were said to have been elected into the IMO Council, Category C, Seat, alongside Nigeria includes Bahamas, Belgium, Chile, Cyprus, Egypt, Finland, Indonesia, Jaimaica, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa and Turkye.
There were said to be three changes in the IMO Council, Category C membership in the 2026/27, biennium compared to the 2024/25, biennial term as Bangladesh, Demark and the east African country of Kenya had lost their Seats to Belgium, Nigeria and South Africa, meaning that only 17, old members of the Category IMO Category C, Council, Seat, retained their position.
The good news about Nigeria’s election into the IMO Council, this time around, was that it had opened the door for the country to benefit from’ ’the Organisation’s technical assistance, manpower and institutional development as well as increase its influence in the global maritime economy which had eluded it over the years because of its 14 years of absence from the Council.
A Diplomatic source had confirmed that the IMO Assembly, had elected China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Norway, Panama, Republic of Korea, UK, and the North American country of the United States, US, to be in the IMO Council A.
While the maritime countries, elected into the IMO Council, Category A, according to informed sources were believed to have the largest interest in proving international shipping services, the member States like Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Arab Emirate, UAE, were elected into the IMO Council, Category B were said to have had the largest interest in ‘’international seaborne trade’’.
The newly elected 40 member States of the IMO, Council members, comprising of 10 states, each, in Categories A and B respectively and the 20 other members in the IMO Council, Category C, Seat, are expected to meet for its 136th session on December 4, 2025, to elect its Chairman and Vice- Chairman for the 2026/27, Biennium.
Dominguez, the IMO, Secretary General, was said to have challenged the newly elected Council members, to sit up as on grounds that ‘’there is much work to be done’’ Appealing to the Council members ‘’ to set the agenda and work plan for the next two years ahead but with consideration of how ‘’to handle net zero matters’’, he not that it is the only way to keep the Organisation on the right track of achieving its objectives. Vintage Dominguez.
