Coast Guard will cut, not bloat, Nigeria’s maritime spending

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

Nigeria is already spending billions on coast guard duties, it’s just doing it through an inefficient, fragmented web of overlapping agencies and private security contracts.
That is the core message from the Provisionary Committee for the Establishment of the Nigerian Coast Guard (PC-NCG), responding to public and legislative concerns over the proposed agency’s cost.
The committee’s statement comes on the heels of the Senate stepping down the Nigerian Coast Guard Establishment Bill, referring it to the Senate Committee on Maritime Security to address fears of funding bloat and duplicated roles with existing bodies.
Dismissing claims that the new agency would strain the federal budget, the PC-NCG argued that consolidating current spending would actually lighten the Federal Government’s financial burden.
“The issue is not whether Nigeria can afford a Coast Guard,” said Dr. Piriye Kiyaramo, Director of Communication and Public Affairs, speaking on behalf of Chief Executive Capt. Noah Ichaba. “The real issue is whether Nigeria can continue paying for Coast Guard responsibilities through an inefficient and fragmented system.”
Currently, core maritime duties, including law enforcement, search and rescue, surveillance, environmental protection, fisheries enforcement, and port security, are scattered across multiple bodies. These include the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Marine Police, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
Each maintains separate administrative budgets, command structures, equipment, and personnel to execute fundamentally similar tasks. On top of that, the government spends billions of naira annually on private maritime security and surveillance contractors to patch institutional gaps.
According to the PC-NCG, the funds currently wasted on duplicate operations and outsourced security are more than enough to establish and sustain a unified Coast Guard.
“It is our position that the amount currently spent in one year could fund the Coast Guard’s institutional and operational requirements for three to four years,” the statement noted.
“The Coast Guard does not necessarily require new funding. It requires the reorganization and rationalization of funds already being spent.”
The PC-NCG warned that keeping the status quo only breeds inter-agency rivalry, weakens accountability, and dilutes operational effectiveness.
By consolidating these functions into a single dedicated agency, the committee maintains that Nigeria can eliminate duplication, optimise public funds, strengthen maritime governance, and unlock the full potential of its growing blue economy.