The Senate has suspended further legislative action on the bill seeking to establish the Nigerian Coast Guard over concerns that the proposed agency could duplicate the responsibilities of existing maritime security institutions.
The decision was reached during Wednesday’s plenary after lawmakers debated the bill, which had already passed committee scrutiny and was awaiting third reading and final passage.
Announcing the decision, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said several senators expressed concerns that establishing another maritime security agency without a clearly defined operational framework could create jurisdictional conflicts with the Nigerian Navy and the Marine Police.
Akpabio said the Senate agreed that while maritime security remains critical, the proposed Coast Guard must have clearly delineated responsibilities to avoid overlapping functions with existing agencies.
He explained that the Senate was not rejecting the bill but suspending further consideration to allow for broader consultations with relevant stakeholders and further refinement of its provisions before it is returned to the chamber.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Wasiu Eshinlokun, seeks to establish a specialised maritime security agency under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to improve safety on Nigeria’s waterways, protect maritime assets, combat illegal fishing and support law enforcement within the country’s coastal environment.
Earlier, while presenting the report of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Eshinlokun said stakeholders who participated in the public hearing overwhelmingly supported the establishment of the Coast Guard, describing it as vital to strengthening maritime governance and unlocking opportunities in Nigeria’s blue economy.
According to him, the committee revised the bill to address concerns about duplication by redefining the proposed Coast Guard as a specialised civilian maritime security institution rather than a military service.
He added that the amendments clearly limited the agency’s responsibilities to maritime safety, commercial shipping, cargo operations and other civilian maritime functions within Nigeria’s territorial waters.
Eshinlokun maintained that the proposed Coast Guard would complement, rather than compete with, existing security agencies by improving inter-agency coordination, enhancing maritime safety and boosting investor confidence.
Despite the committee’s assurances, the Senate resolved to suspend further action on the bill pending wider consultations, underscoring lawmakers’ determination to prevent institutional overlap while pursuing reforms to strengthen security and economic activities in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
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