Long considered the global epicenter of maritime piracy, the Gulf of Guinea continues to mobilize significant security investments. Nigeria, whose waters are most affected, continues to strengthen its naval capabilities to consolidate the progress made in recent years.
The Nigerian navy has integrated 3 new specialized ships into its fleet in order to strengthen maritime safety and improve its operational capabilities in territorial waters. The buildings were officially put into service during the 70th anniversary ceremony of the creation of this army corps, in the presence of President Bola Tinubu.
This acquisition is part of a modernization program provided for by the 2021-2030 roadmap, and one of the main objectives of which is to consolidate national maritime safety. The country seeks in particular to preserve the progress made in recent years in the fight against piracy and other forms of crime on the water.
Between 2020 and 2023, Nigerian waters concentrated a significant share of the attacks identified in the Gulf of Guinea. This situation fueled the concerns of shipowners and contributed to an increase in insurance premiums applied to maritime traffic in the region.
Like Nigeria, several Gulf of Guinea states have made investments to strengthen the surveillance and security of their waters. In addition to national initiatives, a Joint Operational Force has also been set up, bringing together Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), these efforts have promoted an improvement in the security situation in the region since 2023. However, the organization calls on States to remain vigilant. In its report published in October 2025, it indicates that 15 incidents were recorded in the Gulf of Guinea during the first 9 months of 2025, compared to 12 over the same period in 2024. Among these incidents, 10 were armed robberies and 5 were acts of piracy.
source : agence ecofin
