Environment & Ecosystem Science (EES)

The Niger Delta coastal zone is simultaneously Nigeria’s most economically strategic maritime region and its most disaster-prone ecological landscape, where climate-induced flooding, shoreline erosion, oil pollution, and weak governance structures undermine sustainable development outcomes. This study examines the interface between blue economy development and coastal disaster risk reduction management in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, with the aim of evaluating how integrated ocean-based economic strategies can enhance coastal resilience while promoting sustainable livelihoods. The study adopts a mixed-methods research design, combining secondary data from policy documents, government reports, and scholarly literature with primary data obtained through key informant interviews and structured questionnaires administered across selected coastal communities. Descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis were employed to examine sectoral blue economy potentials, disaster risk exposure patterns, and institutional response frameworks. Findings reveal that despite abundant marine and coastal resources, blue economy initiatives in the Niger Delta remain fragmented, poorly aligned with disaster risk reduction strategies, and constrained by governance deficits, environmental degradation, and limited community participation. The study further establishes that integrating disaster risk reduction into blue economy planning significantly enhances adaptive capacity, reduces vulnerability, and strengthens sustainable coastal livelihoods. The paper concludes that a resilience-oriented blue economy framework is critical for achieving sustainable coastal development in the Niger Delta. It recommends policy mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction into blue economy governance, strengthened institutional coordination, and inclusive community-based coastal management. The study contributes to knowledge by advancing an integrated analytical framework linking blue economy development with coastal disaster risk reduction in a resource-dependent developing economy context.