The Provisional Committee for the Proposed Nigerian Coast Guard (PC-NCG) says the proposed Nigerian Coast Guard will eliminate duplication of maritime functions rather than create another layer of bureaucracy.

The committee said this while clarifying concerns raised during the Senate’s consideration of the Nigerian Coast Guard Bill.

The clarification followed Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s call for wider consultations before the bill’s third reading.

In a statement on Wednesday, Director of Communication and Public Affairs, Dr. Piriye Kiyaramo, spoke on behalf of the committee’s Chief Executive and Accounting Officer, Capt. Noah Ichaba.

The committee described the consultation as an opportunity to refocus discussions on facts, sound public policy and Nigeria’s national interest.

It argued that duplication of maritime responsibilities had existed for decades across several government agencies.

According to the committee, multiple institutions currently perform Coast Guard-related duties under separate command structures, budgets and administrative systems.

These functions include maritime safety, security, law enforcement, environmental protection, search and rescue, border control and anti-smuggling operations.

Capt. Ichaba said the real issue was whether Nigeria should retain fragmented structures or establish one institution to coordinate such responsibilities.

“The evidence overwhelmingly supports this fact: duplication already exists. The Nigerian Coast Guard is designed to eliminate it,” he said.

The committee said the proposed Coast Guard would consolidate related civil maritime functions under a single command, operational doctrine and statutory mandate.

It stressed that the Coast Guard would complement, not compete with, existing maritime institutions.

According to the statement, the proposed agency represents the “fourth pillar” of Nigeria’s maritime architecture.

It said the reform would address overlapping mandates, duplicated spending and weak accountability.

The committee also argued that Nigeria performs Coast Guard functions daily without having a legally established Coast Guard institution.

It said this limits administrative efficiency, professional specialisation and Nigeria’s visibility within the global maritime community.

The statement noted that the absence of a dedicated Coast Guard undermines Nigeria’s maritime profile despite its vast coastline, inland waterways and offshore energy assets.

PC-NCG welcomed the Senate’s decision to allow further consultations on the bill.

It urged stakeholders to focus discussions on existing structural challenges rather than the proposed agency’s name.

“The Nigerian Coast Guard is not a duplication, but a correction of duplication,” the committee stated.

“It is not an expansion of bureaucracy, but a structural reform aimed at improving coordination, accountability and prudent use of public resources.”

“The duplication is the problem. The Coast Guard is the solution. The time has come to replace fragmented responsibility with unified accountability,” the statement read in part.

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