President Bola Tinubu has officially acknowledged the successful expansion of Nigeria’s maritime territory, an initiative that has been in progress since 2009.
This strategic move, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982, has resulted in Nigeria gaining sovereignty over an additional area roughly five times the size of Lagos State.
The High Powered Presidential Committee (HPPC) presented their findings to President Tinubu in Abuja, with Professor Larry Awosika and Surveyor Aliyu Omar leading the technical briefing.
The UN’s approval of Nigeria’s submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) marks a significant milestone, granting Nigeria an extra 16,300 square kilometers of maritime territory.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, conveyed the President’s commendation for the team’s dedication and the pivotal role of the HPPC in achieving this result.
‘’When the HPPC briefed former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2022 on the status of the project, the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, CLCS, was still considering Nigeria’s submission and having technical interactions with the HPPC.
‘’These interactions and consideration have now culminated in the approval for Nigeria to extend its continental shelf beyond 200M (200 nautical miles).
‘’As it stands now, the area approved for Nigeria is about 16,300 square kilometres, which is about five times the size of Lagos State,”
Surveyor Omar outlined two paths forward:
“The first option is to take the area gained and finalize the registration with the UN Secretary-General and close everything, meaning that we are satisfied with what we got. This will take at least one year.
‘’The second option is to take what we have right now, acquire more data, do a support write-up, and make a revised submission as recommended by CLCS for further consideration. This will take another four years. Either way (options), Nigeria will keep what has been approved.”
Professor Awosika emphasized the economic benefits of the expanded territory, which promises rich resources such as hydrocarbons, gas, and solid minerals.
However, he advised against full disclosure of the sensitive survey data to maintain confidentiality and leverage it for economic recovery.
President Tinubu expressed gratitude to the committee for their unwavering commitment, recognizing the expanded maritime territory as a boon for Nigeria’s economic and strategic growth.