The Federal Government has intensified efforts to secure Nigeria’s maritime environment and boost the blue economy with the graduation of 492 maritime security personnel drawn from various operational units.
This comes as the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, disclosed that Nigeria has recorded zero piracy incidents within its territorial waters for the past four years.
Oyetola made the disclosure at the 2026 Graduation Ceremony of the Advanced Combat Training Programme for the Deep Blue Project held at the 5 Battalion Nigerian Army Barracks, Elele, Rivers State, on Thursday.
The 492 personnel were drawn from the Nigerian Army, Air Force and Navy, and included 232 Maritime Security Unit operatives, 19 armoured vehicle drivers, 13 armoured vehicle mechanics, eight special mission helicopter pilots, eight helicopter technicians, five special mission aircraft pilots and six aircraft technicians.
Others include 49 special mission vessel crew, 28 interceptor boat mechanics, 62 interceptor boat drivers, 52 Command, Control, Communication, Computer and Intelligence (C4I) operators, and 10 vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial systems operators.
The minister noted that the Gulf of Guinea remains one of the most dangerous maritime corridors in the world, accounting for a significant proportion of global piracy incidents in previous years.
He said: “Today’s ceremony is not only a celebration of the successful completion of rigorous training by maritime security personnel, but also an opportunity to reflect on the remarkable journey and achievements of the Deep Blue Project since its conception.
“Before the establishment of the project in 2021, the Gulf of Guinea had become one of the most dangerous maritime corridors in the world, accounting for over 45 per cent of reported global piracy incidents and over 90 per cent of global crew kidnappings at sea during its peak years.
“The region was widely regarded as the world’s most unsafe maritime domain for shipping and international trade activities, posing serious threats to economic growth, maritime commerce and regional stability.
“It was against this backdrop that the Federal Government conceived and commissioned the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, popularly known as the Deep Blue Project, in 2021. The project was established to combat piracy, sea robbery, illegal fishing, oil theft and other maritime crimes within Nigeria’s territorial waters and across the Gulf of Guinea.
“Since its commissioning, the Deep Blue Project has transformed Nigeria’s maritime security landscape through the deployment of integrated air, land and sea assets supported by advanced surveillance and rapid response capabilities,” he said.
Oyetola explained that sustained implementation of the project and inter-agency collaboration had led to significant security improvements.
He said Nigeria has recorded zero piracy incidents within its territorial waters for the past four years, while piracy incidents across the Gulf of Guinea had reduced by over 70 per cent.
He added that the achievement had restored global confidence in Nigeria’s maritime domain and improved regional maritime safety, trade activities and insurance premiums, while strengthening Nigeria’s standing as a responsible maritime nation.
Earlier, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Bayo Mobereola, said the personnel had undergone specialised training across several strategic locations globally, including Syria, Italy, Swaziland, Australia and Nigeria.
He noted that the exposure had equipped them with international best practices in maritime security operations.
Mobereola said the Deep Blue architecture integrates advanced operational assets including special mission aircraft, helicopters, vessels, unmanned aerial vehicles, interceptor boats and armoured patrol vehicles.
He explained that the Command, Control, Communication, Computer and Intelligence (C4I) Centre serves as the central coordination hub for maritime domain awareness and response operations.
He commended Oyetola for his leadership and strategic guidance, as well as the Ministers of Defence, the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Police, DSS and other security agencies for their cooperation in strengthening maritime security.
Mobereola reaffirmed NIMASA’s commitment to continued investment in maritime security, technology, human capacity development and strategic partnerships to consolidate existing gains.
Blessing Ibunge
