Lekki Deep Seaport: Characterizations of Regulatory Frameworks and Operational Procedures on Attainment of Blue Economy Goals

Introduction The research investigated the impact of frameworks and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on the attainment of Blue Economy (BE) goals for sustainable port management and the responsible exploitation of ocean resources at the Lekki Deep Sea Port (LDSP) in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods Multistage and simple random sampling techniques were utilized to sample the 375 respondents who are members of the host communities. The sampled respondents provided the required information on the study objectives through a self-reporting questionnaire. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to test the derived hypotheses. Results Hypothetical tests revealed that the path from regulatory frameworks to SOPs was significant (β1=0.23, t = 2.96, p =.03), the test equally showed that the path from regulatory framework’ to responsible exploitation of ocean resources was significant (β2=0.31, t = 4.74, p <.001) as well as the the path from ‘SOP’ to sustainable port development (β3 = 0.57, t = 9.43, p <.001), finally the test affirmed that the path from SOP to responsible exploitation of ocean resources was also significant (β4 = 0.47,t = 9.82, p <.001). Discussion Results of the SEM that tested the derived hypotheses affirmed that there are elements of predictability in the relationships between all the identified endogenous and exogenous variables. Conclusion The study advocated for a more balanced approach in managing the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) derivatives by the LDSP, as findings suggest a potential prioritization of economic objectives, which may impact the balanced attainment of social and environmental goals.