The National Boundary Commission (NBC) has described the extension of Nigeria’s continental shelf as a significant achievement of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in its one year in office.
Director-General of the commission, Mr Adamu Adaji, who stated this in an interview in Abuja on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, described continental shelf as the natural submerged prolongation of a country’s land territory.
He congratulated Nigeria on the extension of the country’s continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles and sovereignty over additional 16,300 square kilometres of maritime boundaries, about five times the size of Lagos.
“Just recently, Mr. President, was briefed about the activities of the high-powered Presidential Committee on the extended continental shelf, where the Boundary Commission played a very key role.
“Of course, the project started from this commission. It’s a baby of NBC but now being handled by a presidential committee.
“We want to commend the visionary leadership of the Federal Government for the support and congratulate Nigerians for the extension of our maritime territory,” he said.
The DG said that the extended continental shelf would be of massive economic benefit to Nigeria considering its rich natural and mineral deposits.
He assured President Tinubu of the commission’s continued support to the High-Powered Presidential Committee on Nigeria’s Extended Continental Shelf Project.
“Of course, the committee is still working. Whatever the government decides as the next phase of action, the boundary commission will be ready to play its part and participate in the committee’s work as much as possible.
“I want to congratulate Nigeria for this achievement and congratulate this government for the interest it is showing and the willingness to support this project to logical conclusion,
“I want to pray that the dividends of democracy, as we are beginning to see in this administration will be sustained till the end of the administration,” Adaji said.
The High-Powered Presidential Committee had on May 14 briefed the President on the approval of the extended continental shelf by the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS).
The journey to extend Nigeria’s continental shelf began in 2009 with the country’s submission to the CLCS, but the project suffered setbacks due to lack of funds and other administrative challenges.
It was finally approved by the UN shortly after Tinubu assumed office.
By Philip Yatai
