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Has Deep Blue project helped in suppression of pirates in Gulf of Guinea?

Pirates attack in Gulf of Guinea

—-an update on piracy incidents in Gulf of Guinea

A U.N. resolution last week condemned piracy in the Gulf of Guinea — the most dangerous piracy hot spot in the world.

 In 2020, over 40 percent of piracy incidents occurred in West African waters.
 And 95 percent of all kidnapped crew members were taken from ships transiting the Gulf of Guinea.
Can maritime security efforts help reverse these trends? While global maritime piracy generally decreased from 2015 to 2020, piracy incidents increased substantially in the Gulf of Guinea.

 Our research finds that piracy incidents in West African waters also tended to be more violent than elsewhere, as fighting on land, especially in and around the Niger Delta, appeared to spill out onto the water, as shown in the figure below.

A January 2021 incident involving the Liberian-flagged ship MV Mozart near São Tomé and Príncipe left one seaman dead.

 Pirates kidnapped 15 other sailors in that attack and ransomed them for an undisclosed amount.

The incident occurred approximately 180 kilometers off São Tomé Island and 375 kilometers from Nigeria, making it one of the farthest offshore attacks to date in the Gulf of Guinea.

Yet the MV Mozart attack was followed by a dramatic decline in piracy off Nigeria, with incidents in 2021 dropping nearly 50 percent from 2020 levels.

In fact, piracy incidents now appear to be at a six-year low.
 The 57 sailors kidnapped from vessels in the Gulf of Guinea in 2021 were significantly lower than the 130 crew members seized in 2020.
This drop is welcome news for governments in West Africa that feared unrelenting high costs from persistent maritime insecurity.
In 2021, there were six piracy incidents per month, a 33 percent decrease from the 2019 and 2020 monthly averages.

There have been five incidents per month in the first quarter of 2022. What, if anything, has changed?

Improving maritime security

The Gulf of Guinea contains valuable oil and gas reserves, as well as rich fishing grounds, that are exploited by organized criminal groups and violent armed groups.
 London insurers continue to find the waters between Togo and Gabon at a heightened risk for war, piracy, terrorism and related perils — especially crew abductions.

 But international aid, regional cooperation and local investments in building maritime security capacity may be finally paying off.

The United States and Europe contribute to maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.

Funding for port security enhancements, information sharing, law enforcement training and capacity building are all intended to help ensure peace and promote economic prosperity.

E.U. countries and the United States have increasingly deployed naval vessels to the region to combat organized criminal groups targeting commercial transport ships.

 The Danish navy sent a frigate to the area in November 2021.
 France, Spain and Portugal regularly patrol West African waters.

The United States hosts multinational naval exercises in the Gulf of Guinea that is meant to improve counter-piracy operations and impede illegal fishing.

Regionally, West African governments have collaborated on efforts to secure the gulf against transnational organized crime.

In 2013, 25 governments in the region met in Cameroon to sign the Yaoundé Code of Conduct.
This agreement produced a new maritime security architecture, built around information and intelligence sharing as well as coordinated naval operations.

The compact’s goal is to identify and apprehend criminal groups, protect seafarers and deter would-be pirates.

Fights over marine boundaries are creating safe zones for pirates

Five West African countries have established multinational maritime coordination centers, with additional operational bureaus set up in each of the 19 countries bordering the gulf.

If maritime boundaries once protected illegal fishers and pirates from capture, improved information sharing and subsequent coordinated actions by West African navies now render cross-border escapes more dubious.

Will Deep Blue help?

The Nigerian government has separately pursued a strategy designed to secure Nigeria’s own waterways — but the effort may also help to safeguard the wider maritime environment.

The Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure project, popularly known as Deep Blue, commits substantial resources to combat piracy, oil theft, smuggling and illegal fishing.

Deep Blue funding has supplied coastal patrol vehicles, interceptor boats and reconnaissance aircraft that all contribute to a vessel-protection mission.

In July 2021, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari also commissioned a surveillance system to provide a comprehensive picture of Nigeria’s maritime environment to inhibit criminal activity.

Additional troops deployed on land in Nigeria may help pursue criminal groups and their assets.

Will Deep Blue work? Bashir Jamoh, Director General of Nigeria’s Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA)credited the deployment of Deep Blue assets for the decline in Gulf of Guinea piracy in 2021.

He also acknowledged assistance from regional governments, the shipping industry and foreign navies.

Nigeria’s 2019 piracy-suppression law, despite its limitations, further ensures that captured pirates and other criminals will be prosecuted.

 In August 2020, a Nigerian court sentenced the first three pirates under this law for the hijacking of an Equatorial Guinean cargo ship.

Still, recent counter-piracy operations by European warships don’t appear to have involved the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency — which is somewhat troubling if Nigeria’s new assets and closer communication are key to maritime security in the region.

Ship attacks and crew abductions may be down in West African waters, but the decline can only partly be attributed to Deep Blue.

 European and U.S. naval deployments and improved regional collaboration probably matter more when it comes to curbing maritime crime.

Of course, better policing at sea doesn’t address socio-economic challenges on land that help drive piracy.

Tackling corruption, poverty and environmental degradation throughout West Africa, but particularly in the Niger Delta, remains essential for reducing the demand for maritime piracy and other types of sea crimes.

But addressing these broader challenges, experts point out, will also require assistance from the international community.

Analysis by Brandon Prins, Aaron Gold, Anup Phayal, Simon Rotzer, Curie Maharani, Sayed Riyadi and Kayla Marie Reno 
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Headlines

Edward Osagie, NIMASA spokesman, shines at 2025 National Spokespersons’ Awards in Abuja

— emerges outstanding spokesperson in Marine and Blue Economy sector 

Funso OLOJO 
Edward Omoruyi Osagie,  the deep and baritone voiced spokesman for the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has been crowned as the most outstanding spokesperson in the Marine and Blue economy sector.
Osagie, with a benign mien, emerged the best in this category during the Award ceremony of the 2025 edition of the  “National Spokespersons’ Awards(NSAwards) held on Wednesday, April 16th, 2025 at Abuja Continental Hotel.
62 finalists were shortlisted for recognition across 21 competitive categories in this year’s edition of the competition.
Three spokespersons in the maritime industry participated in the final of the Award ceremony.
They included Edward Osagie, the Head of Pubic Relations Department of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Ikechukwu Onyemekara, General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communication Department of the Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA) and Muyiwa Akande, Head of Public Relations unit of Sifax Group.
Osagie of NIMASA emerged a finalist in three categories which include Spokesperson of the year which happens to be the lead category, Outstanding spokesperson (crisis management – pubic sector) and Marine and Blue economy sector.
Olumuyiwa Akande also featured as a finalist in two categories such as Spokesperson of the year category and Marine and Blue Economy sector.
Onyemekara of NPA features as a finalist in the Marine and Blue economy sector.
However, at the final section, Osagie beat all the contestants in the Marine and Blue economy category to emerge a winner.
In other categories, the Head, Media and Publicity Unit of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Mr. Dele Oyewale, a Deputy Commander of the EFCC, emerged  Outstanding Federal Government Spokesperson of the Year, 2025.

Oyewale emerged winner in a highly competitive category that included Presidential Spokesman, Mr. Bayo Onanuga and Josephine Adokuru Mudasiru of the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA.

The Chairman of the award’s Adjudication Committee, Dr. Shaibu Husseini, while commending the nominees, emphasized that the selection process was rigorous and driven by merit.

Oyewale stood out for his infusion of finesse in strategic communication, skillful workmanship, impactful media engagements and consistency in the excellent projection of the EFCC’s image and in enhancing public understanding of the Commission’s mandate and activities.

Other winners from other categories include: Olufemi Soneye (NNPCL) as  Distinguished Spokesperson of the Year (Oil and Gas), Nigerian Customs Service as Best Corporate Spokesperson Team, Kashifu Inuwa (NITDA) as Most Supportive CEO to Spokespersons (Public Sector), Femi Babafemi (NDLEA) as  Outstanding Spokesperson (Security Services).

Soneye (NNPCL) beat ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi of Nigeria Police, Igo Weli-Shell Petroleum, Olumuyiwa Akande, SIFAX Group and Osagie Edward-NIMASA to emerge Spokesperson of the Year.

In his remarks, Joshua Audu Gana, Member House of Representatives congratulated the organizers for identifying and rewarding the outstanding communicators across various sectors.

He lauded the winners for their professionalism and devotion and urged them to continue to strive for excellence in the roles they play.

The Special Guest of Honour, Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Akintunde Rotimi Jr, emphasized the need for institutions and organizations to involve spokespersons in policy formulation and decision-making processes, noting that spokespersons should be equipped with first-hand knowledge of key issues so as to enhance their effective and accurate public communication.

The National Spokespersons Awards is Nigeria’s foremost platform for celebration of excellence in public relations, strategic communication, and media management.

The award is an annual celebration of individuals and organizations that demonstrate professionalism, innovation, and impactful public communication.

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Customs

Agricultural produce tops exports of 11,459 containers worth $986.4m through Apapa port in three months 

Funso OLOJO / Gloria Odion 
The export initiative programme of the present government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is gradually gathering momentum as 11, 459 containers of export goods passed through Apapa ports in the first quarter of 2025.
This export goods were 5,568 containers higher than the 5,891 containers handled in the corresponding period of 2024.
The export goods, facilitated by the Lilypond export command of the Nigeria Customs service, was worth a whooping sum of $986.4m.
This amount was 300 per cent higher than $236.087m total value of exports which passed through the command in the corresponding period of 2024.
These figures showed an increase of $750.357m representing over 318 percent improvement in value over the corresponding period of 2024.
Addressing the press in his office while giving account of the export activities in the first quarter of 2025, Area Controller of the Lilypond export terminal, Comptroller Ajibola Odusanya, revealed that agricultural products of 2723 containers valued at $596.887m topped the pack.
This was followed by manufactured goods of $134.649m, solid minerals of $87.498 m and other category of exports valued at $18.156m.
“On the volume of trade, the command handled a total of 11,459 containers in the first three months of 2025 which is 5,568 containers higher than the 5,891 containers handled in the first quarter of 2024
“We classified the exports into four Agricultural products, manufactured products, solid minerals and others.
“Agricultural produce forms the highest with a total value of $596.887.111.51. This was followed by manufactured goods, which amounted to $329,915,256.,6, while solid minerals were 550,149,763.41. Others amounted to $9,488,166.26.
Agricultural produce for the first quarter of last year was $542,916.347.5,7 manufactured goods $134,649,364,25, solid minerals $87,498,802,44 and others $18,156,786.87.
“In the first quarter of 2025, our cumulative export value amounted to $986,440,397,78. This is more than 300 per cent higher than the $2.36,087,888.53 total value of exports through this command in the first quarter of 2024.
“Comparatively, this shows an increase of $750,352,509.25 representing over 318 per cent improvement in the value.”
Compt. Odusanya stated that the command recorded N7.13 billion under the Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS).
He also disclosed that the command strengthened collaboration with exporters by operating an open-door policy that ensures regular interaction and seamless export trade processing.
“Under NESS, which is a statutory payment to the Federal Government on all legitimate goods exported from Nigeria, the command recorded N7,131,463,779.25.
“The Q1 2025 NESS is almost 0.9 per cent higher than the N7,067,351,977.1 recorded under the scheme through our command performance in the first three months of 2024.
“The NCS as a service and the command in particular cannot work in isolation.
” We have always maintained robust engagements with our critical stakeholders and worked strategically with sister government agencies like the NDLEA, SON, NAQS, Police, NAFDAC and others.”
“In addition to collaborating with sister government agencies, I have strengthened our relationship with exporters through operating an open-door policy that ensures regular interaction and seamless export trade processing.”
“I am pleased to announce that user experiences of the LEXC under my watch have continually improved with the prospects of attracting more exporters to the Command and thereby contribute in no small way, the federal government drive for economic diversification through Export.
“Some Nigerian Exporters were among those celebrated by the service three months ago during the formal launch of the authorized economic operator (AED) scheme. For us, this is a testament to the growth of export in the country, especially those using Lagos ports to ship out their goods,” Compt. Odusanya declared.
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Headlines

Stakeholders caution Nigeria over currency swap deal with China 

as CBN lists gains of trade policy 
Gloria Odion 
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has described the Nigeria-China currency swap deal as a transformative policy instrument that could significantly reduce shipping costs, enhance trade efficiency, and ease foreign exchange pressure in Nigeria’s maritime industry.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ breakfast meeting organized by the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) in Lagos on Tuesday, the CBN Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, stated that the agreement—originally signed in 2018 and recently renewed in December 2024—enables Nigerian and Chinese businesses to conduct trade directly in naira and renminbi, bypassing the U.S. dollar.
“The swap agreement simplifies the settlement of trade transactions in local currencies and reduces the pressure on Nigeria’s dollar reserves.
” This, in turn, lowers the cost of doing business and enhances the competitiveness of Nigerian trade,” Cardoso said.
The CBN Governor, who was represented by Mr Anthony Ogufere, Special Adviser to CBN Governor on Finance and Strategy, noted that China had become Nigeria’s largest trading partner by the end of 2024, accounting for about 35% of total imports and reaching a trade volume of $11.58 billion.
 He added that the maritime sector, which handles the majority of Nigeria’s import and export activities, stands to benefit immensely through faster port clearance, improved trade finance instruments, and direct shipping links such as the Lekki Deep Sea Port—a Chinese-backed infrastructure project under the Belt and Road Initiative.
However, the CBN Governor acknowledged that several challenges still hinder the full potential of the currency swap framework.
Chief among them is Nigeria’s significant trade imbalance with China and the limited adoption of yuan-denominated transactions by Nigerian businesses.
He called for greater sensitization, policy coordination, and efforts to expand non-oil exports to China.
The CBN governor also acknowledged the fact that the currency swap deal is not yet popular among Nigerian business owners due to sparse sensitization and mobilisation of the business community.
Also speaking at the event, Mr. Martins Olajide, a representative of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership, presented a paper that offered a more cautious outlook.
He noted that while the swap deal provides short-term relief and smoother trade operations, it is not a sustainable solution to the naira’s persistent depreciation.
Describing the swap arrangement as “swapization,” Olajide warned that Nigeria’s economic vulnerability and dependence on imports—especially from China—undermines the true impact of the agreement.
 He emphasized the need for structural reforms, particularly in industrialization, value addition, and local production.
“Without these changes, the swap deal may only reinforce economic dependence on China without solving the underlying issues,” he said.
In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the event and Chairman of the Customs Consultative Council (CCC), Aare Akeem Olarenwaju, decried the volatility of the naira-dollar exchange rate as a major cause of the skyrocketing cost of goods in Nigeria.
 He called for greater public awareness of alternative currency options like the Chinese yuan.
“You can’t determine the price of goods within a few hours due to constant exchange rate changes.
“Today it’s ₦1,600 to a dollar, and in the next few hours, it could be ₦1,700 or ₦1,500. It’s the common people who suffer the most,” Olarenwaju lamented.
He commended the organizers for opening up conversations around trade, currency, and maritime development, urging media professionals to help educate the public on alternatives that could reduce the nation’s dependence on the U.S. dollar.
Earlier in his welcome address, MARAN President, Mr. Godfrey Bivbere, reaffirmed the association’s commitment to promoting dialogue on key economic issues.
While acknowledging the swap deal’s promise in reducing transaction costs and enhancing trade efficiency, Bivbere stressed the need for a balanced discourse.
“We are not only here to applaud progress but also to interrogate policy.
” We must understand both the positive impact and the underlying risks associated with China’s expanding economic footprint in Nigeria,” he said.
Bivbere urged stakeholders across the maritime, trade, and financial sectors to approach the Nigeria-China currency swap with critical insight, noting that sustainable benefits would only come through policies that protect national economic interests while encouraging growth and competitiveness.
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