As the world increasingly turns to the ocean for food, energy, and trade, Nigeria’s vast blue economy domain requires improved, effective and sustainable security infrastructure. ADAKU ONYENUCHEYA reports.
Recently, Nigeria added three new patrol ships and two helicopters to its security apparatus to protect the territorial waters as well as reinforce the nation’s blue economic foundation, especially in sectors reliant on maritime stability such as oil and gas, fishing, and international trade.
According to the Presidency, the acquisition of the vessels and helicopters aligned with Nigeria’s broader national security strategy aimed at combating maritime crimes including piracy, oil theft, illegal fishing, bunkering, smuggling and trafficking.
Recall that the Presidency had in 2024 commissioned three newly acquired warships and two helicopters by the Nigerian Navy to strengthen the blue economy’s security.
President Bola Tinubu highlighted the importance of a protected maritime environment to ensure the sustainability of the Blue Economy, which has been projected to generate about $405 billion for the African continent and to create millions of jobs.
The Blue Economy holds immense potential to transform Nigeria’s economy through fisheries, shipping, offshore oil and gas, tourism, and marine biotechnology among others. Yet, persistent maritime insecurity, including piracy, smuggling, illegal fishing, and oil theft, has long hindered its full realisation.
Initially, the Federal Government through the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Nigerian Navy, Air Force, and other security agencies unveiled the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, also known as the Deep Blue Project.
The Deep Blue Project includes 17 Fast Interceptor Boats, two Special Mission Vessels (SMVs), two Special Mission aircraft, to three helicopters, four unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), 16 Armored Vehicles for coastal patrol all inside the Command, Control, and Communication, Computer and Intelligence (C4i) centre.
The project introduced a comprehensive and technology-driven approach to securing Nigeria’s territorial waters and the Gulf of Guinea by neutralising piracy, illegal fishing, and oil theft that have long plagued the strategic waterways.
However, despite the existing security model on Nigeria’s waters, transnational crime syndicates continued to infiltrate the maritime domain with smuggled hard drugs and stolen vehicles.
Oil theft and illegal bunkers also evaded security with stolen crude, while ships engaged in illicit activities frequently entered the country’s waters undetected.
Unregulated fishing continued to drain the country’s economy, while sea robbery incidents, particularly in inshore waters and anchorage points, are still reported.
Fearing potential attacks, foreign vessels entering Nigerian waters are compelled to hire mercenaries, often ex-combatants from war zones, as armed escorts to deter and repel threats.
Also, corruption, slow judicial processes, poor and slow maintenance culture of security apparatus and gaps in inter-agency coordination sometimes dilute the impact of maritime interventions.
According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), while piracy in the Gulf of Guinea region has declined in recent years due to regional collaboration and increased naval patrols, the threat remains persistent.
Strategic security yet vulnerable
NIGERIA, as the region’s largest economy and dominant maritime actor, bears the brunt of these security concerns.
Billions of dollars in oil revenue, port income, and marine commerce hinge on stable sea lanes, a reality that has forced a national rethink on maritime security.
Recall that the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) had recently raised the alarm over the use of Gulf of Guinea maritime routes by terrorist groups like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The UNOCT, in a high-level meeting in Lagos, organised in collaboration with the Nigeria Immigration Service and supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighted the increasing convergence of terrorism, piracy, oil theft, and organised crime in the region.
The Chief of the Countering Terrorist Travel Section at UNOCT, Rocco Messina, specifically warned that the region is facing a growing convergence of terrorism, piracy, oil theft and organised crime, posing serious security risks.
Meanwhile, the C4I team reported 1,723 vessels conducting ‘dark activities’ in Nigerian waters without transmitting the Automatic Identification System (AIS) to evade tracking between January and April 2025.
According to the Centre officials, these vessels are suspected to have been engaging in illegal fishing, oil theft, and waste dumping, posing economic and environmental risks to the nation.
The Shift Officer, C4I Operation Centre, Lawal Abdulrasak, explained that Nigeria’s waters account for nearly 47 per cent of all vessel traffic in the Gulf of Guinea, with over 33,000 port calls recorded between January and April 2025.
Abdulrasak also stated that 4,000 unique vessels entered Nigeria’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), with 166 of them entering for the first time, raising questions about why they are attracted to Nigerian waters.
Abdulrasak explained that these activities within Nigeria’s waters pose threats with the possibility of having an attack on any of these vessels.
A member of the House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration, representing Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency, Rodney Ebikebina Ambaiowei, raised concerns over the efficacy of the C4I Centre in curbing oil theft, particularly in Nigeria’s offshore operations.
He demanded clarity on the role and capabilities of the C4I centre in addressing the issue.
“Oil theft from the creeks is very infinitesimal compared to what’s happening at sea. If the C4I centre came into existence in 2019, why then was Nigeria producing far less than 1.5 million barrels per day before the current administration? That tells us oil theft has persisted significantly despite the system.”
In a related issue, the lawmaker also questioned the transparency of vessel ownership tracking systems, citing a recent incident where a vessel allegedly involved in illegal bunkering was apprehended but no owner has been prosecuted to date.
The Chief Maritime Safety Officer of the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (RMRCC), Ahmed Yau, highlighted the centre’s core function of delivering 24/7 maritime rescue services, including medical evacuations, fire incidents on board, and distress response coordination.
Yau, however, pointed out that one of the centre’s key communication tools, the Very High Frequency (VHF) system, is currently non-functional.
“We are equipped to communicate with vessels worldwide using VHF and DSC systems, but the VHF system is presently not working. This is a critical tool for real-time maritime communication, and we urgently need support to restore full functionality,” he said.
Former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Maritime Affairs, Gbenga Leke Oyewole, described the UN’s disclosure as a reflection of longstanding realities in Nigeria’s maritime domain.
He attributed the growing security gap to the country’s failure to prioritise technology-driven surveillance and enforcement along its coastal borders.
Rather than investing in advanced systems used in other nations, Oyewole said Nigerian authorities have continued to rely on outdated equipment, leaving large areas of the country’s waters poorly monitored.
According to him, much of the responsibility lies with agencies tasked with maritime security that have shifted focus from enforcement to revenue generation.
Oyewole criticised the failure of Nigeria’s maritime security apparatus, particularly the underutilisation of surveillance technologies and the misplaced roles of key security agencies.
He recalled a previous government effort in which, following his advice to the Presidency, authorities seized a vessel carrying 450kg of cocaine within two weeks, a clear indicator of what could be achieved with focused attention on maritime surveillance.
These ships, he noted, have the capacity to conceal large quantities of arms, ammunition, narcotics, and trafficked persons in their void spaces—posing a serious risk to national and regional security.
The expert also drew attention to the loopholes in port clearance and documentation procedures, warning that vessels loitering in Nigerian waters before proceeding to other countries could use Nigerian-issued documents to shield their true intentions.
He said in such scenarios, Nigeria risks being held accountable for incidents it did not directly orchestrate.
Oyewole further clarified the limited mandates of agencies like the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Navy. NIMASA, he stressed, is primarily responsible for maritime safety and compliance with international protocols such as the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, rather than direct security enforcement.
He stated that the Navy, on the other hand, is designed to address external aggression in deep waters and should only support other agencies upon request, rather than leading commercial inspections.
The expert concluded that the country’s maritime domain remains vulnerable, largely due to institutional neglect, inadequate coordination among relevant agencies, and an overemphasis on economic gains over national security.
Charting a safer course
NIGERIA’s blue economy future is at a turning point with ensuring improved surveillance in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
These security threats not only endanger lives and property but also undermine national revenue and foreign investment in the maritime sector.
To sustainably curb maritime insecurity in Nigeria and the wider Gulf of Guinea, the Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Vice Admiral Kim Pankyu (Rtd), emphasised the importance of international collaboration and diplomacy in strengthening regional security.
Nigeria is in strategic agreements with international partners and regional bodies. Notably, the country is a signatory to the Yaoundé Code of Conduct, a landmark framework for regional cooperation in combating piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea.
Additionally, Nigeria has partnered with countries like South Korea, the United States, and several European Union member states for military training, naval support, and the donation of surveillance and patrol equipment.
This agreement fosters information sharing, joint patrols, and coordinated law enforcement efforts among West and Central African nations.
Pankyu acknowledged that the donation of a naval vessel and ongoing military cooperation stem from the longstanding diplomatic relations between Nigeria and South Korea.
Meanwhile, a chieftain of the National Task Force on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Segun Ibikunle, noted that the increasing complexity of Nigeria’s security challenges in the maritime domain, may necessitate a strategic shift, akin to measures adopted in parts of northern Nigeria.
Commenting on the state of maritime and national security, Ibikunle asserted that the Nigerian Navy alone cannot provide adequate protection for the nation’s waterways, much like the Army and Police have struggled to contain threats on land.
Security experts also suggested that Nigeria must sustain momentum within ECOWAS and the Gulf of Guinea Commission to foster joint patrols, intelligence sharing and multinational maritime exercises.
