Blue Resources Under-Exploitation and Development Impediment along Atlantic Coastline: Example from Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

The study painstakingly assessed ''Blue Resources under-exploitation and Development Impediment along Atlantic Coastline: Example from Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria’’. Reconnaissance survey was done prior to field work between September 2024 to February 2025. The study employed descriptive method of data analysis alongside in-depth interview using community leaders, Women Association and Youth Forum and other concerned social groups. Focus Group Discussion was further employed using 15 males and 15 females with participants ranging from 28 years and above. Forty (40) structured questionnaires were distributed to heads of household in ten (10) selected communities making a total of 400 questionnaires. Findings revealed that there are numerous blue resources potentials in Akwa Ibom State including blue food, blue tourism resources, blue mineral, blue energy, blue-green resources and blue transport. The study revealed that in order of resource utilization, blue minerals and blue tourism take the leads, while investment in blue energy, maritime services, wetlands farming and aquaculture was under-utilised. Linking this finding with the level of economic development of the region, blue resource under-utilisation contributed significantly to the declining economic situation. It was further realized that household economic status was relatively low in comparison to the huge natural resources availability. The study however, recommended that more efforts should be re-directed towards multi-sectoral and holistic resource management that could ensure that all dimensions of blue resources in the region are incorporated into the economic sector for development. Hence, an organized, participatory and multi-lateral investment, laced with modern skills on environmentally friendly resource exploitation, resource marketing and resource value-chain optimization are suggested.