Nigeria took a step towards diversifying its economy in 2023 when President Bola Tinubu established a ministry dedicated to the blue economy. This move coincided with a surge in global interest in deep sea exploration, fuelled by the need for minerals to support the green transition.TheCable’s CLAIRE MOM
TheCable: So, with the urgency to transition to a global green economy, how does the ISA ensure that subsequent deep-sea mining activities adhere to environmental regulations and protect marine ecosystems?Well, that is one of the most important parts of our mandate and that is actually one of the reasons why there is no deep-sea mining at the moment because we are still working on putting in place the regulations that will govern this new industry.
TheCable: It is interesting that you say deep-sea mining is a first for the world. Nigeria established the ministry of blue economy last year, with deep-sea mining and exploration as one of its objectives. For a country seeking to diversify its economy, how can we leverage this new pathway?We have been working very closely with all the African states that are members. That is 48 member states.