Senate steps down bill to establish Nigerian Coast Guard

The Senate on Wednesday suspended consideration of the Nigerian Coast Guard Bill due to concerns that the proposed agency’s functions could overlap with those of the Nigerian Navy and the Marine Police.

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The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the withdrawal after a majority of senators supported the decision through a voice vote during plenary.

The bill, sponsored by Wasiu Eshinlokun (APC, Lagos East), seeks to establish the Nigerian Coast Guard to strengthen maritime security, combat illegal fishing and curb unauthorised activities along Nigeria’s coastline.

It proposes the agency as a specialised maritime security outfit under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.

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The bill had already undergone a public hearing and was scheduled for third reading.

It passed second reading on 15 October 2024 and was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Marine Transport for further legislative work.

However, shortly after Mr Eshinlokun moved the bill for third reading, Mr Akpabio said several senators had privately raised concerns that the proposed Coast Guard would duplicate the responsibilities of existing maritime security agencies.

He argued that both the Marine Police and the Nigerian Navy were already underfunded and that creating another security agency could worsen coordination challenges.

“Some senators have observed that their functions will conflict with the functions of the navy and will also conflict with the functions of the marine police. The marine police is yet to be well funded. They need to be well armed, they need to approach the international waters. Right now they are only running around shallow waters and what is needed in that area is funding to enable the marine police to do its job,” Mr Akpabio said.

He added that establishing another maritime security outfit without clearly defining its responsibilities could create unnecessary confusion.

“And also with the fact that the Naval police are also available and whatever this creation of another militia will cause confusion and their functions will not be well delineated and we’re not even able to fund any of the other agencies well,” he said.

Mr Akpabio, therefore, urged senators to allow the bill to be withdrawn for further consultations rather than proceed with its passage.

“I think we should withdraw this for further consultations before bringing it to the Senate. We’re not going to kill the bill, we’re only withdrawing it for further consultations,” he added.

Committee’s report

Presenting the report of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Mr Eshinlokun said the panel conducted a public hearing during which stakeholders overwhelmingly supported the establishment of the Coast Guard.

He said stakeholders argued that enhanced maritime security was critical to unlocking the potential of Nigeria’s maritime industry, which contributes to job creation, food security, foreign exchange earnings and international trade.

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The senator stated that the proposed Coast Guard would complement existing maritime security agencies by strengthening investor confidence, improving inter-agency collaboration and enhancing Nigeria’s position as a reliable maritime hub.

Responding to concerns that the Coast Guard would become another branch of the armed forces, Mr Eshinlokun said the committee amended the bill to redefine the proposed agency as a specialised maritime security institution rather than a military service.

He also said the committee revised the bill to minimise overlaps with existing agencies by clearly limiting the Coast Guard’s responsibilities to maritime safety and security within Nigeria’s territorial waters, particularly commercial shipping activities, cargo operations, maritime transportation and other related activities within the country’s maritime domain.

Mr Eshinlokun, thereafter, urged the Senate to pass the bill, stating that the amendments had sufficiently addressed concerns about duplication of responsibilities.