Nigeria has gained an additional 16,300 square kilometres in new maritime territory following the approval of Nigeria’s request to extend its continental shelf and sovereignty over the additional square kilometres by the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS).
The approval was revealed when President Bola Tinubu received the report of the High Powered Presidential Committee (HPPC) on Nigeria’s Extended Continental Shelf Project.
President Tinubu commended the team of experts who had worked hard over the years to advance the project, which aims to extend Nigeria’s maritime boundaries in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982.
The presidential committee made technical presentations anchored by a member of the committee, Prof. Larry Awosika who is a Marine Scientist and, and Aliyu Omar, who is a Surveyor and the secretary of the committee.
The experts, who have been involved in the project since Nigeria’s initial submission to extend its continental shelf to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) in 2009, informed the president that when the HPPC briefed former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2022 on the status of the project, the UN body was still considering Nigeria’s submission as well as having technical interactions with the HPPC.
According to Aliyu Omar, these interactions and consideration have now culminated in the approval for Nigeria to extend its continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles with an official notification from the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to Nigeria in August 2023.
Aliyu Omar explained to the president that the area approved for Nigeria is about 16,300 square kilometres, which is about five times the size of Lagos State.
The Secretary of the committee went further to outline the available options for Nigeria following the approval.
He said, ”the first option is to take the area gained and finalise 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, Nigeria will keep what has been approved’’, Omar emphasised.
Prof. Larry Awosika, explained that the approval came after years of meticulous scientific research on geophysics, geology, geography, and diplomatic efforts, which solidified Nigeria’s legal rights over a vast expanse of seabed and subsoil beyond its traditional territorial waters.
He further highlighted the economic potential of the newly acquired territory, which includes hydrocarbons, gas, solid minerals, and a wide variety of sedentary species.
A visibly elated President Tinubu revealed how former President Muhammadu Buhari briefed him on the importance of the project and said, ‘‘this is big congratulations for Nigeria”.
”At COP28 in Dubai, I also exchanged views with President Lula of Brazil on the need for collaboration within our economic and maritime boundaries. Today, it is a great honour for me to receive this report. I have listened attentively to this very specialised report, and I know it took a whole lot of effort to get to this stage.
”I commend the team, and we must take advantage of this and invite you again to have a repeat of this knowledge exploration on geography, hydrography, and the marine life.
”Nigeria is grateful for the efforts that you put into gaining additional territory for the country without going to war. Some nations went to war, lost people and economic opportunities.
”We lost nothing but have gained great benefits for Nigeria. We will pursue the best option for the country,” the president promised.