The second edition of the Niger Delta Blue Economy Investment Summit is targeting more than $600 million in investment capital to accelerate the development of Nigeria’s blue economy sector.
The three-day summit, scheduled for March 18–20, 2027, will take place at Movela Hotels in Warri, Delta State, bringing together key stakeholders to explore investment opportunities and promote sustainable economic development across the Niger Delta.
Co-convener of the summit, Dr Uche Igwe, disclosed this during an interaction with selected journalists, noting that the event would provide a platform for government officials, private sector operators, academics, civil society organisations, traditional institutions and community representatives to translate the region’s blue economy potential into viable investment projects.
Igwe said the maiden edition of the summit, held in February 2026, had recorded significant progress through strategic partnerships and the identification of feasible projects requiring funding and further development.
He explained that the focus of the forthcoming edition would be to move identified projects beyond the planning stage by making them investment-ready and mobilising the necessary financial resources for implementation.
“Since our maiden edition last February, a lot has been achieved. We now have partners who understand our region and who have identified several feasible projects.
“It is now time to go to the next level of ensuring that such projects are made bankable and the necessary funds required are mobilised to ensure that projects leave the drawing board and hit the ground running,” he said.
According to him, the 2027 summit will prioritise the development of investment pipelines and the exploration of innovative financing mechanisms, including blue bonds, to attract substantial capital into the sector.
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Igwe also commended the Delta State Government, under Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, for creating what he described as an enabling environment for investment and business development in the blue economy.
He expressed confidence that the summit’s engagements and partnerships would help attract more than $600 million in investment capital into the sector.
“With the feedback we have got so far, more than $600 million of investment capital will enter the blue economy sector through our modest efforts,” he added.
Also speaking, Senior Consultant at Gadfly Consulting Limited, Mr Philemon Oghenedoro Adjekuko, stressed the need for stronger collaboration between government agencies and private sector operators to advance Nigeria’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
Adjekuko maintained that the blue economy had enormous potential to drive economic growth, diversify the country’s revenue base and strengthen the non-oil sector, provided stakeholders moved beyond policy discussions to coordinated action and concrete investments.
He disclosed that he had spent the past three months engaging relevant stakeholders as part of a study on blue finance, expressing optimism about the country’s readiness to harness opportunities in the sector.
“As someone who has been speaking to stakeholders in the last three months conducting a study on blue finance, our country is ready to witness steady economic transformation of the non-oil sector through blue economy,” he said.
He further expressed confidence that the Warri summit would accelerate discussions on bankable projects and facilitate investment agreements capable of delivering tangible economic benefits to the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large.
The blue economy encompasses economic activities linked to oceans, seas, rivers and other water resources. Key areas include fisheries, aquaculture, maritime transportation, shipbuilding, marine tourism and renewable energy.
Stakeholders believe that strategic investments in these areas could unlock the Niger Delta’s vast natural resources, create employment opportunities, promote economic diversification and position Nigeria as a major player in the emerging global blue economy.
