Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations has disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended an open invitation to the People’s Republic of China to partner with Nigeria through the deployment and exchange of geophysical data across the country’s nautical domain as part of efforts to unlock the enormous potential of the blue economy.

The mission said the President’s proposal prioritises strategic partnership, technology transfer and data-driven collaboration over traditional development assistance.

The disclosure was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Office of the Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, New York, following a keynote address delivered by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, at the United Nations Sustainable Development Workshop on High-quality Development of the Marine Economy in Beijing, China.

According to the statement, Ambassador Ibrahim, who represented President Tinubu at the event, said Nigeria’s vision is to leverage geophysical intelligence, marine research and innovation to accelerate sustainable economic growth and position the country among the world’s leading blue economy nations.

The envoy said the President’s invitation to China was based on the conviction that access to geophysical and oceanographic data would generate greater long-term economic value than dependence on foreign aid. 

“President Bola Tinubu is offering China an open invitation for partnership through geophysical data and innovation rather than aid. The future prosperity of nations lies in harnessing the immense wealth of the oceans through knowledge, technology and strategic cooperation,” Ibrahim said.

He commended China for its leadership in advancing the global blue economy and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation in maritime development.

The Permanent Representative noted that the creation of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy by the Tinubu administration demonstrates Nigeria’s determination to maximise the economic opportunities within its maritime resources.

He urged the international community to embrace innovation, artificial intelligence, sustainable financing and stronger global partnerships to unlock the vast potential of the marine economy.

According to the statement, Ibrahim also advocated innovative financing mechanisms that would support developing countries in building resilient blue economy infrastructure and promoting sustainable ocean governance.

The statement quoted the envoy as reaffirming Nigeria’s readiness to work with China and other international partners in advancing a prosperous and sustainable global marine economy.

He concluded his address with the message: “The future is here; doing nothing is NOT an option.”