European Union Fisheries Agreements and Blue Economy Governance in Nigeria’s Exclusive Economic Zone

This doctoral study examines the governance implications of European Union fisheries access agreements for Nigeria's Blue Economy governance architecture, developing an original analytical contribution at the intersection of international ocean governance, EU external fisheries policy, and Nigerian maritime political economy. The EU maintains fisheries access agreements with several West African states, and European distant-water fishing fleets have historically operated in the Gulf of Guinea adjacent to Nigeria's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The regulatory interactions between EU Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs), FAO Code of Conduct obligations, and Nigeria's emerging Blue Economy policy framework create complex governance dynamics. Drawing on Marine Political Economy theory, regime complexity frameworks, and the Blue Economy governance literature, this study develops an original Ocean Governance Regime Interaction Model (OGRIM) to analyse how EU fisheries governance norms interact with Nigerian EEZ management institutions. Empirical analysis draws on an original dataset of EU SFPA provisions and compliance records for the Gulf of Guinea region, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) enforcement data, and primary interviews with 40 participants including EU fisheries officials, Nigerian maritime governance actors, artisanal fishing community leaders in Rivers and Akwa Ibom States, and fisheries law experts. The study generates original empirical findings on governance gaps, compliance challenges, and opportunities for strengthening EU-Nigeria Blue Economy cooperation. Keywords: EU fisheries agreements, Blue Economy governance, Nigeria EEZ, OGRIM, maritime political economy.