After 14 Years, Oyetola Leads Nigeria to Win Landmark Election into IMO Council
By Ovie Edomi
History was recorded on Friday, 28th November 2025, as Nigeria got elected into Category C of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council for the 2026–2027 biennium in a poll held during the IMO General Assembly in London marking the country’s triumphant return to the Council after a 14-year absence thus restoring the nation to global reckoning among the comity of maritime nations. With 116 votes, the victory crowns Nigeria’s over twelve months of intensive diplomacy shuttles, targeted engagements and sustained advocacy across various countries and maritime blocs
Speaking moments after the results were declared,Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Dr Adegboyega Dr Adegboyega Oyetola described Nigeria’s election as “a landmark endorsement of the renewed confidence the world has in Nigeria under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
According to him, “This victory is not just for Nigeria; it is a vote of confidence in our maritime reforms, our security efforts in the Gulf of Guinea, and the bold vision of His Excellency President Tinubu to unlock the full potential of the blue economy.”
The Minister emphasised that the election represents a major boost to Nigeria’s profile in global maritime governance. According to Oyetola,
“Our return to the IMO Council after fourteen years signals that Nigeria is back — stronger, more strategic and more determined to contribute meaningfully to shaping the future of global shipping, maritime safety and sustainable ocean governance. We worked tirelessly, travelling across continents, building bridges and reaffirming Nigeria’s readiness to take up this responsibility,”.
Dr Oyetola further expressed profound appreciation to President Tinubu for providing the full support that made the campaign successful despite the highly competitive nature of the election.
“Mr President gave us every encouragement, every backing and every resource we needed to prosecute this campaign. His leadership opened doors and inspired immense goodwill from across the world,” he noted.
He also thanked the international maritime community for believing in Nigeria, affirming that the results demonstrate broad trust in the reforms being undertaken by the Tinubu administration.
“The world has stood with us, and we do not take this for granted. Nigeria will serve with integrity, commitment and a strong sense of responsibility,” he pledged.
The Minister further commended the Technical Committee of Experts chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Olufemi Oloruntola, acknowledging their strategic coordination, meticulous planning and enduring commitment to Nigeria’s success.
With this election, Nigeria joins 19 other nations in Category C – countries recognised for their special interests in maritime transport and navigation and selected to ensure balanced geographical representation within the IMO Council. The elected states in Category C are: Bahamas, Belgium, Cyprus, Chile, Cyprus, Egypt, Finland, Indonesia, Jamaica, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and South Africa.
Countries elected into Category B, representing nations with the largest interests in international seaborne trade, are Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates.
Category A, comprising the world’s leading providers of international shipping services, saw the election of China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Norway, Panama, Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
Nigeria’s return to the Council is expected to bring significant benefits to the country’s maritime and blue economy sectors, strengthening international partnerships, enhancing access to technical support, boosting investor confidence and reinforcing Nigeria’s leadership role in the Gulf of Guinea.
“We have earned the world’s confidence. Now we must deepen our reforms, strengthen our institutions and ensure that Nigeria takes its rightful place as a leading maritime nation,” Minister Oyetola said.
Meanwhile, congratulatory messages have started to pour in for President Tinubu and his Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Dr Adegboyega Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, the
Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Olufemi Oloruntola, the DG, NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, Acting Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Dr Kevin Okonna amongst others.