COASTAL RESILIENCE, POLICY, AND GOVERNANCE: IMPLICATIONS FOR ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN IJAWLAND - By Prof. Benjamin O. Okaba

His Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Esteemed Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I bring warm greetings and felicitations from the Ijaw National Congress (INC), the apex socio-cultural organization of the Ijaw people—one of the four largest ethnic nationalities in Nigeria.

It is both an honour and a solemn responsibility to address this gathering at the 2025 Ocean Rise and Coastal Resilience Summit here in Nice, France. As President of the INC, I deem it vital to speak to the implications of ocean rise, coastal erosion, and climate change for the economic and environmental sustainability of Ijawland. This, despite our deep-rooted maritime heritage and natural endowments as master mariners.

The Ijaw Reality

As an indigenous nation located in the heart of the Niger Delta, the Ijaw people are no strangers to the devastating impacts of climate change, environmental degradation, and oil pollution. Since the discovery of oil and gas in commercial quantities at Oloibiri in present-day Bayelsa State in 1956/1958, our lands, waters, and ecosystems have suffered from decades of neglect and extractive exploitation.

Today, rising sea levels, ocean surges, and frequent flooding events threaten not only our environment but our very existence.

The Challenges We Face

Ijaws inhabit over 60% of Nigeria’s entire coastline, spanning indigenous communities across Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta, Ondo, and Lagos States. Indeed, the ocean and its diverse marine and aquatic resources are central to the Ijaw identity, economy, and heritage.

Our communities are on the frontlines of climate change—suffering from severe coastal erosion, habitat loss, declining biodiversity, and economic instability. Mangrove forests, essential for biodiversity and carbon sequestration, are rapidly vanishing. Our fisheries have been depleted, and our people face mounting hardship as their primary sources of livelihood disappear.

The Economic Impact

The economic repercussions are profound. Our fisheries, agriculture, and budding tourism sectors are highly vulnerable. Infrastructure—roads, bridges, schools, hospitals—faces increasing damage from floods and saltwater intrusion. Without urgent and coordinated action, these economic threats could lead to irreversible social collapse.

Support from both national and international stakeholders is essential to address these challenges and build long-term resilience.

The Importance of Coastal Resilience

Building coastal resilience is essential for the survival and prosperity of our communities. We must adopt a proactive, inclusive approach to managing coastal ecosystems, safeguarding infrastructure, and fostering sustainable livelihoods.

Key strategies must include:

Investing in climate-resilient infrastructure

Promoting ecosystem-based adaptation

Developing sustainable, climate-smart livelihoods

Our Demands

To this end, we call on national and international policymakers to prioritize coastal resilience through the following interventions:

1. Integrated Coastal Management: Formulate and implement inclusive, sustainable coastal plans that balance economic, environmental, and social objectives.

2. Climate Change Adaptation: Invest in infrastructure and programs that support adaptation to climate change impacts—such as mangrove restoration, early warning systems, and climate-resilient housing and livelihoods.

3. Community Engagement: Ensure that indigenous communities are not mere beneficiaries, but key participants in decision-making processes that affect their future.

4. Leveraging Indigenous Knowledge and Technology: Indigenous knowledge systems must be refined, upgraded, and mainstreamed through a bottom-up approach that empowers communities.

Our Call to Action

We appeal to the global community to recognize the specific vulnerabilities of coastal and deltaic communities like ours. We do not seek charity, but solidarity. A just and equitable coastal resilience strategy must acknowledge the rights, knowledge, and lived realities of indigenous peoples.

Specifically, we demand:

1. Direct access to climate finance for subnational governments and local communities.

2. A UN Convention for the Conservation of River Deltas, recognizing the unique ecological and human challenges faced by delta regions.

3. Technological partnerships to support mangrove regeneration, early warning systems, and integrated coastal zone management.

4. Enhanced South-South cooperation among deltaic regions, fostering knowledge exchange and regional solidarity.

In particular, I call on the Governors of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ondo, and Lagos States to domesticate the ideals of global climate action, forge strong regional partnerships, and collaborate with relevant international agencies. Through such collective action, climate adaptation and environmental protection can be achieved with dignity and integrity.

Our Commitment

The Ijaw National Congress remains steadfast in our commitment to resilience, sustainability, and the protection of our people’s rights. Our position aligns with our longstanding demand for self-determination and the responsible control of our God-given land and water resources.

We will continue to advocate for progressive policies, empower our communities, and work closely with local and international partners to advance sustainable development in Ijawland.

Conclusion

In closing, let me re-emphasize: Coastal resilience, sound policy, and responsible governance are not optional, they are existential imperatives for Ijawland and similar vulnerable regions across the globe.

Let us work together, across sectors and borders, to secure a resilient and sustainable future. The challenges may be formidable, but with resolve, unity, and vision, we shall rise, and we shall thrive.

Thank you.

Paper Delivered by Professor Benjamin Okaba, President, Ijaw National Congress (INC) Global, at the Ocean Rise and Coastal Resilience Summit, Nice, France, June 7, 2025