Monrovia – Liberia, a global maritime powerhouse with the world’s largest ship registry by tonnage and a growing fisheries sector, is struggling to convert its oceanic advantage into real developmental gains for its citizens. Experts say a fragmented governance system is at the heart of the problem.
By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway, Emmanuel.weedeeconway @frontpageaficaonline.com
This concern took center stage on Monday, June 2, 2025, at the University of Liberia, where stakeholders kicked off the country’s first-ever Ocean Governance Seminar.
The event brought together coastal community leaders, academics, government agencies, and civil society groups to confront what participants described as Liberia’s “scattered and uncoordinated” ocean management framework.
Speaking to FrontPage Africa at the seminar, Ocean Law expert John Saylay Singbae II stressed the urgent need for a unified and inclusive national ocean policy. According to him, the lack of coordination among state institutions is undermining Liberia’s potential as a regional ocean leader.
“If everyone is doing something, it means no one is actually doing anything,” Singbae said. “We need a coherent ocean policy in this country – we need a marine framework that works for all. A sustainable ocean policy is a great way to enable economic diversification and positions Liberia as an ocean champion on the African continent.”
The seminar is being organized by the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences at the University of Liberia in partnership with the Cavalla Institute of Ocean Governance, Youth Exploring Solutions (YES), and several other institutions. It is backed by the Embassy of Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and Conservation International (CI).
Participants include representatives from the University of Liberia (UL), African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU), African Methodist Episcopal Zion University (AMEZU), and Cuttington University, alongside members of coastal communities and local authorities.
According to Singbae, Liberia’s fisheries sector holds tremendous potential, but without a structured and coordinated approach, the country risks repeating a cycle of missed opportunities.
“This is the beginning of a broader step to enhance ocean sustainability in Liberia,” he said. “Liberia has a very prominent fisheries sector, which is developing but doing very well. And so there is a need for an approach that will achieve sustainability.”
He emphasized that key institutions must work together—among them the Liberia Maritime Authority, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Ministry of Transport, the National Port Authority, the Liberia Coast Guard, the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), and the National Aquaculture and Fisheries Authority.
Singbae said true ocean governance must go beyond technical coordination and also improve public understanding of ocean issues.
“It’s about telling the common man about the impact of the ocean in their everyday lives,” he explained. “It’s about telling them how their action can affect the ocean. It’s about drilling them through the governance process of the ocean.”
The Ocean Governance Seminar is a precursor to a broader stakeholder conference scheduled for Friday, June 6, 2025. Organizers say the events are part of a long-term national effort to align Liberia’s marine potential with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and advance inclusive development through coordinated governance of ocean resources.
Liberia’s maritime sector has long served as a revenue-generating pillar, but critics argue that the wealth generated from maritime services and fisheries has not translated into meaningful improvements for local communities or environmental sustainability. The seminar, according to stakeholders, is a step toward bridging that gap.
